She's Gone
by Kc495
Summary: Everything was so great, between Hikaru and Haruhi. A married couple of two years. They were trying to have a baby, and everything was perfect. Until Haruhi mysteriously disappears one day coming home for work. Leaving Hikaru, and everyone else alone with no way in finding out the truth. A year passes by and still no sign of her. At this point, everyone's given up hope.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran Highschool Host Club

 **Summary:** Everything was so great, between Hikaru and Haruhi. A married couple of two years. They were trying to have a baby, and everything was perfect. Until Haruhi mysteriously disappears one day coming home for work. Leaving Hikaru, and everyone else alone with no way in finding out the truth. A year passes by and still no sign of her, and unfortunately, at this point in time, everyone's given up.

 **Cast:** Hikaru H. / Haruhi. H / Kaoru. H / Kyouya. O / Tamaki. S / Takashi. M / Mitsukuni. H / and a few OC's

 **Pairing:** Hikaru. H / Haruhi. H

 **Rated:** M - for vulgar language and minor adult themes.

 **Side note** : There will be a few parts where the story is in first person for Hikaru, but majority of the story is in third person.

 **She's Gone**

* * *

A year ago, to this day, was the day my world stopped spinning.

My heart stopped beating.

And I became just an empty shell of a man.

It was the day, the love of my life left me... and never came back.

* * *

 _"Hikaru," a soft, giggle induced voice came from under the covers. "Quit it... I had a long day today."_

 _"So did I, but I still love you."_

 _"I love you too, but I also love sleep."_

 _"Shouldn't I overrule sleep?" Grinning, Hikaru Hitachiin latched on to his wife of almost two years and nuzzled his nose against her bare shoulder, laying soft, tender kisses down her skin. "You're so tense... I told you to stop slouching when you're at your desk."_

 _The covers moved as the figure laying under him, pulled the blankets higher over her head, muttering wearily. "...You're the one to talk, and me being tense isn't from slouching... By the way, don't you have work tomorrow?"_

 _"Yeah... But that doesn't mean I can't spend time with you now." Running his middle finger up her side over the blankets, Hikaru leaned his face down and kissed her neck that wasn't shielded by any coverage. "...My time with you really has decreased lately since you've gotten that new promotion. The least you could do is sleep facing the other way. or are you doing this on purpose just to torture me?"_

 _"Were you not mentally there as of thirty minutes ago?" Snorting, Haruhi Hitachiin raised her eyebrow as she turned her head, holding the hem of the blanket to her chest. "I think I've spent enough time with you tonight."_

 _"...That doesn't count," whispering humorously, Hikaru breathed hotly against her cheek, as he wrapped his arms around her middle, pulling her closer to his nude torso. "That is time you're automatically supposed to give. But the personal time you should give me for just being your husband, is different."_

 _"I don't see how it is, considering it's the time I've spent with just you."_

 _"...What is so wrong with me wanting to just spend time with you rather than you going to sleep? I can't have a complete conversation with you if you're unresponsive."_

 _"...I have an idea," piping up, as though she had just thought of the greatest idea ever though Hikaru could hint the sarcasm. "How about you go to sleep too?"_

 _"But I'm not tired."_

 _"Even after 'that'?"_

 _"...Especially after 'that', I need to be cuddled!"_

 _"Cuddle yourself. I'm tired."_

 _Scowling, Hikaru flipped himself over to lay on his back, and wrapped his arms around himself as though he was giving himself a hug. He stayed silent for a few moments, not saying anything or looking at her. Until he felt her roll back over to her side of the bed, making him fling himself back over her, wrapped his arm comfortably around her middle once more._

 _"I don't feel the same," he mentioned obnoxiously, battering his eyelashes against her back, feeling her shiver under his touch. "Why won't you love me?"_

 _Haruhi sighed, snuggling deeper into her pillow, liking the comfortable warmth he gave her backside. "I do love you... just not as enthusiastically as I do in the daytime."_

 _"You should show it more... Nighttime is our time."_

 _"Who else would I give my time to? and why nighttime? why not a time when I can actually physically entertain you?"_

 _"Because..." He said, moving his lips to the side of her face, nibbling her earlobe. "Nighttime is romantic. Plus we're both so busy all the time. Doesn't it intrigue you?"_

 _"I've been intrigued enough tonight, thank you very much."_

 _"Oooh? you're welcome."_

 _"God, just go to sleep."_

 _Not being able to help laughing, Hikaru gave her a beamish sideways grin and tightened his hold around her, cuddling up closer to her, making sure she couldn't wiggle away. He pulled her off the mattress, so her back was laying on his chest, making her sigh in dismay. He grinned wider and squeezed her._

 _"I can't go to sleep when I'm not tired," he protested once more, hiding his nose in her hair, smelling the mild scent of her shampoo. "Its only one anyway."_

 _"One in the morning," Haruhi grunted, struggling to move out of his arms to lay back down. "How long do you plan on staying up? I have to leave for work at eight."_

 _"Take a sick day, you're going to feel like crap when you wake up anyhow."_

 _"I can't take a sick day, I'll just go to sleep and I'll feel fine." Rolling her eyes, she managed to roll over on her stomach, but still being on top of him, she was greeted with a look of adoration on his face. She responded to that look with a blank stare. "Let go."_

 _"But I love you."_

 _"I know, you already told me."_

 _"I love you, so I'm lever letting you go."_

 _"You still have to eventually." Scuffing, Haruhi moved her arm from behind her and attempted to unlock his arms from around her, only to have him spin over. She gasped as her body came in contact with the bed again, having his body straddled above her, the blankets falling off his body down to his waist, letting the dim moonlight sparkle off his bare chest._

 _Haruhi laid her head back into the pillows and gave him a hopeless expression, raising an eyebrow. "Hikaru... I don't want to do this again tonight. I'm not in the mood anymore."_

 _"Neither am I," snickering, as he shook his head, Hikaru leaned his face down again, kissing her neck that her hair didn't cover. "You don't even have to do anything. Go to sleep if you want to."_

 _She tried to sigh as to show that she was annoyed, but it just came out as a soft moan instead when he nipped softly at her sensitive skin. She felt his lips curve into a smirk._

 _"Hikaru..." She let his name slip past her lips as she pressed her hands to his chest trying fruitlessly to push him off though her arms were weak from sleepiness and what she did just seemed to encourage him. "Hika-... quit it... I-"_

 _Haruhi cut herself off by gasping. Feeling his hand travel up her sides, his soft fingers brushing against her sensitive spot on her ribcage. She scowled, knowing that the mischievous smirk on his face meant nothing good for her. She shivered lightly as she felt his hands linger longer around her stomach._

 _Hikaru, kissing her neck, slowly moving his lips up her collarbone, and cheek, taking his time getting to her lips, as he ran his hand up her side, feeling her body tense under him. "Hmm, do you really want me to leave you alone?"_

 _Feeling his soft touch and his hot breath on her face as he nuzzled her cheek to talk, Haruhi swallowed and wanted to say yes, but it came out as a: "No... I-... I don't know... Ah!"_

 _Just then, he jabbed his fingers lightly into her side, making her squeal and turn over. Being tickled was never on her list of favorite punishments given by her husband when he was 'bored'._

 _Hikaru snickered as he rolled over her and landed on her side, to continue his harmless tickle attack. He grinned as she couldn't help giggling madly as he hit her extra sensitive spots._

 _"H-...Hikaru," she managed, gasping for air to try keep a stable tone with him as she turned over on her stomach arching her back around his chest as he was now on top of her from behind. "Quit it-... I- pfft... hehe, I don't-... Hikaru!"_

 _Smirking as he mercilessly as he tickled while her, trapping her under his body. Showing no sight of clemency as he laughed along with her, but only his laughs were in amusement. "Say, uncle." He dared._

 _"No. Just get off of-..." Haruhi managed to splutter before she was caught in another fit of giggles, trying to pry her husband's hands away from her body. "Stop it-... It's too late-..."_

 _Laughing again, Hikaru laid his chin on her shoulder, rubbing his cheek against her ear. Not being able to stop snickering at how mean he could be to his wife. He whispered provokingly in her ear. "Say it."_

 _"N-...no."_

 _Haruhi bit her lips, leaning her forehead into her pillow, laughing again, attempting to muffle herself, feeling his chest against her bare back. By this time the blanket had left her torso, and she was covering herself with her own arm. "Hikaru stop-... I don't- ah!"_

 _Hikaru stopped momentarily to let her breathe, and to speak softly. "Just say it. I'll let you go."_

 _"She glared. "You need medication."_

 _Hikaru tickled her again, making her give off a high-pitch squeal. "Ah, okay! okay, uncle... uncle. Just knock it off!"_

 _Giving the back of her head a triumphant, smug grin, before releasing her from his attacking grasp, he fell to the side next to her. Listening to her pant lightly from lack of breath._

 _Haruhi sighed and pulled the blankets back over her nude torso, glaring as she turned over to look at him, stating in a dead-pan tone, breathlessly._

 _"I hate you."_

 _"Aw, you don't mean that."_

 _As he threw the blankets back over him, Hikaru smiled and scooted closer to her, throwing an arm over her, but in the same moment, she threw his arm off._

 _"No. Don't touch me."_

 _He pouted. "But... I love you. Darling?"_

 _"No."_

 _"...Okay. I'm sorry."_

 _Scowling, Haruhi scrunched her face up in an odd way as turned over, pulling the covers up over her shoulders. "Go to bed."_

 _"Neh, Haru, I'm sorry! Don't push me away." Hurriedly moving to his side, Hikaru scooted closer and snuggled up to her back, laying an arm around her waist over the blanket. "...Forgive me?"_

 _Grunting, Haruhi's eye twitched at his touch, but as he nuzzled her cheek again with his nose, fluttering his eyelashes against her skin, she sighed. "Fine, but I'm going to bed. No more. Okay?"_

 _He hesitated. "...Okay"_

 _"Goodnight."_

 _"...I love you?"_

 _"Goodnight, Hikaru."_

 _"..."_

 _"Okay, I love you too."_

 _"Okay, night babe."_

 _ **FLASH** -_

 _"Quit tugging, I can do my own hair," a whine came from the bathroom. "I'm going to be late."_

 _"You can't go to work with a messy bun, don't you think it's unprofessional?"_

 _"Isn't curls a little the top though?"_

 _"...But I like curls."_

 _Snorting, while her legs ached from standing in one place for so long, Haruhi rolled her eyes and leaned her head back, as her hair was tugged as such, being twirled onto a hot iron. "...My hair isn't even that long, it looks weird with curls."_

 _"Since when do you care that you look weird?" Amused, Hikaru snickered and held a small strip of her hair on the iron, waiting a moment for it to heat up and turn shape before dropping it and grabbing another strip. "And you're hair isn't that short, and you don't look weird, you look cute."_

 _"Yeah, you say that all the time."_

 _"Cause it's true." Grinning, Hikaru held her hair still, waiting for it to curl around the curling iron, before letting it go to grab another few strands of her hair, eyeing the makeup bag thoughtfully. "What kind of husband would I be if I didn't help you get ready for work?"_

 _Haruhi was silent a moment to make what she said more dramatic. "Uh... A normal one?"_

 _"A boring one. Only husbands who love their wife's help them look pretty when they go places."_

 _"I don't care if I look pretty or not." Sighing more heavily than what was necessary, Haruhi lose tension in her shoulders and he almost burnt her ear on the iron when she moved. "I'm only going to be sitting in a hot empty office all day. What's the point?"_

 _"Quit complaining." Rolling his eyes, he snickered lightly and fluffed up her hair as he finished, placing the iron on the counter around the bathroom sink. "Fine, if going to work isn't a good enough reason, I guess I'll just force you to go out to dinner with me tonight. Would a date suffice?"_

 _"But we're married. What'd we need to go on a date for?"_

 _"Goodness, Haruhi, we're going out tonight... fatty tuna?"_

 _"...Fine."_

 _"Kay, now turn around. I'm doing your makeup."_

 _"I don't want makeup!" Pouting, Haruhi scratched her head. Her curls feeling heavy to her head; heavier than her normal hairdo. "I don't need it. Move. I have to go."_

 _"But you can't go to dinner without looking like you didn't put any effort into leaving the house," Hikaru panicked as he grabbed her wrist before she got too far and pulled her back into the bathroom, shutting the door behind them. "It's only a little. I want you to look pretty."_

 _"...Aren't I pretty enough? I shouldn't need makeup."_

 _"You are pretty! but... I want you to look like you husband is rich and wants to pamper his wife with expensive makeup, and clothes and... stuff," raising his eyebrow, he leaned his face over his shoulder, looking at her sideways. "Which she doesn't appreciate, by the way."_

 _"I do appreciate it... I just don't like it."_

 _"It's the same thing, darling."_

 _"Well goodness, it's so annoying to put on, and its a waste of time. I don't even have to go to dinner with makeup, lipstick is annoying when I eat."_

 _"...Why are you so difficult?"_

 _"I ask myself that about you all the time."_

 _Smirking, He bit the side of his bottom lip and dabbed a tiny brush into a gray, shadowy color of eyeshadow, brushing her bangs out-of-the-way, to lightly smear it onto her closed eyelid, scowling every time she flinched._

 _He sighed, after the third attempt. "Quit moving, you're going to make it look bad, and I'm going to have to start over."_

 _"Why so much effort then? just let me-"_

 _Beep-beep-beep_

 _Hikaru glared down at her, hearing a noise coming from her back pocket. The second it went off, was the second she scrambled to find out what it was. Which of course was her cell phone, buzzing angrily at her, for her to tend to it._

 _"I have to go to work," she suddenly informed him, as she turned around, just before Hikaru could grab her and tell her that her work could wait a little while longer, but she escaped just as he was about to protest. "I'll see you later today. I'll be home about... five or six."_

 _"But we're not done!"_

 _"I'm done."_

 _"Don't bail out on me, you only have half your face!"_

 _"I'll wash it off in the car, it'll be fine."_

 _Sulking, Hikaru sighed heavily and literally dropped the eye-shadow case into the sink carelessly, scowling in discouragement as he watched her walk away into their room, as their bathroom and bedroom was connected. He looked at all the beauty supplies thrown around randomly on the counter and shook his head._

 _Then, out of nowhere, his chin was suddenly captured by a pair of soft fingers, and his face was pulled down, his lips being locked with another set. His eyes went wide with the suddenness and it nearly took his breath away._

 _When he was let go, He gaped his mouth open and looked down, seeing Haruhi's face looking back up at him._

 _"Bye," she said randomly, without a thought. Smirking slyly to his surprised look. "I love you?"_

 _Snorting bemusedly, Hikaru caught her before she turned around again and grabbed the back of her head, forcing her into a longer, hotter kiss. She cupped his cheek tenderly, only to push him away a few moments later._

 _Feeling slightly rejected, he huffed. "Watch the roads coming home."_

 _Smiling, she flapper her wrist dismissively. "I think I can drive, Hikaru."_

 _"Be_ careful _driving."_

 _"I will, I will. Bye. Love you."_

 _"I love you too..."_

 ** _FLASH_**

 _Glaring at his phone, which had a text message pulled up on its bright laminated screen, Hikaru muttered irritably under his breath, reading the message for what seemed like the hundredth time that evening._

 _It read..._

 _'I'm on my way home'_

 _Sent at 'five thirty'._

 _It was now 'nine twenty-six'._

 _"Four hours..." he grumbled out loud, looking up from the couch to which he sat on, and glanced at the window. The sunlight was gone, and the moonlight was bright in the dark sky, sweeping in through the crack in the blinds. "It shouldn't take that long... only fifteen minutes."_

 _"Where the hell is she?"_

 _Huffing, Hikaru stood up. Still frowning at his phone, biting his bottom lip in an attempt of keeping himself from screaming in frustration. It was late, it was past dinner, and there was no sign of his wife. She could've gotten stuck in traffic, but the law firm she worked at was less than twenty minutes away, and there weren't any big roads to take to get there, and back_

 _There wasn't a reason for her to take so long getting home, and he would think that she was just having a long day, like she would occasionally have, but she had sent him a text saying she was on her way home so..._

 _Why wasn't she home yet?_

 ** _FLASH_**

 _"She didn't stay late then?"_

 _"No... Sorry sir, she left later in the afternoon yesterday. I haven't seen her since she left for home that day..."_

 _Haruhi didn't come back that night, and Hikaru was getting anxious. He had called the police that morning after not getting any sleep, but all he was told was that they couldn't do anything about a missing person if that someone hadn't been gone for more than twenty-four hours._

 _That evening, Hikaru took no time in calling the police again, with it being exactly twenty-four hours since he had seen her. They sent out a missing person report across Tokyo, but that was all they could do._

 _He called their friends, Tamaki was in France at the time, so all he could do was worry from a distance, Kyouya was in Japan, but there wasn't anything he could do either, the same for Mitsukuni and Takashi, and they all wandered aimlessly around Tokyo. Until after a week of Haruhi's strange disappearance, Tamaki took an emergency trip back home to help._

 _By then Kyouya had sent out search parties made up of his family's privet police force searching all over Japan. Though, strangely enough, nothing they did ever brought them any closer in finding her._

 _Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months... And still, there was no sign of Haruhi. Hikaru was beginning to think that the day she said goodbye to him that day..._

 _Was the last time he'd ever see her again._

* * *

I think I've lost all hope. I've tried over and over, but nothing I do helps. There just isn't anymore fight left in me. I give up.

I've excepted that fact a long time ago. That I'd probably never see her again, but part of me just doesn't want to believe that she's gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Steamed Rice**

* * *

Hikaru groaned wearily, turning over and pulled the blanket higher over his face, trying to ignore the fact that the sun was coming up, but he was already awake, and he knew that there was no point in trying to go back to sleep.

His golden eyes slowly fluttered open, being greeted by the white textured ceiling of his bedroom. He sighed heavily, feeling something warm and wet on his cheek. The ceiling suddenly glazed and became a little blurry, and it took him a moment to realize what it was.

Biting his bottom lip, he put a hand to his face, on his cheek, slowly wiping under his eye. His fingers were wet.

He was crying.

Swallowing, Hikaru took a deep breath and blinked a few times, in attempt to clear his vision. Waking up crying wasn't a rare thing. Especially if the night before was particularly bad, with hours filled with loneliness and heartache.

He ran his hand through his hair, mussing his bangs with his fingers. Laying his head against the pillow he took a deep breath, trying not to completely lose his composure. He pressed his hands to his face and sighed.

Throwing an arm out to the side, where the bed was, the back of his hand just landed on the cold mattress he felt the cold, un-slept on sheet on his skin and swallowed down a forming lump in his throat.

The pillow beside his once smelt of musky strawberry shampoo, now just laid there, discarded and untouched.

He closed his eyes and began to think. Think of all that was wrong with the world.

No matter what he did, he couldn't get her out of his head. It would be better, if he knew what happened to her. Why she left, and what was her reason for not coming back. He had gotten use to waking up alone, to a cold morning. It bothered him, but he was use to it.

Though, just because he was use to it, didn't mean he liked it.

Wiping the bottom of his eyes free of past tears, Hikaru stared at the ceiling again, biting the inside of his bottom lip, contemplating getting out of bed, even if he didn't want to.

Being without his wife as a reason to stay in bed, he had grown into the habit of going to sleep late and waking up early, giving him the average of five hours of sleep a day. Though once he'd get going for the day he'd hardly seem tired.

The key word being 'hardly'.

Taking a deep breath once more, Hikaru threw what little blankets that were over him, off and sat up sluggishly, rubbing his hands over his cheeks. Once his hands dropped, he looked around the room.

Everything was lacking the presence of his wife. Nothing he looked at reminded him of her. There used to be pictures on the wall, on the dressers, but they had been removed a while ago, when he was at the angry stage.

Her clothes were no longer in her closet on the other side of the room, or in the dressers. Her personal things near the vanity table were removed and placed somewhere where he didn't have to look at them.

He shook his head and flung himself off the bed, standing up with a tiny crack of his bones, which were sore from sleep. He smelt something strange once he sat up. It smelt like something was coming from the kitchen.

Breakfast was his first guess, and he threw his head back, knowing what he was going to find downstairs, so instead, he went to the bathroom first, to stall time.

The bathroom was half the size of the bedroom. It was large with a full-sized bath, fit for two people. A large sink and a counter that took up half the wall, accompanied with a large mirror. Everything was painted white, accents were plated gold. Though, everything in the bathroom that would remind him of his wife being there, was also moved somewhere else. Including shampoo's and lotions, and other essentials that she used on a daily basis.

The first few months were rough on him, he was so angry at his wife that he didn't want to look at her or anything that reminded him of her. He put all her things in boxes and moved them all into the attic. Though now that her things were out of his sight, the realization of her being gone was becoming more true to him.

The realization of her being gone him being alone. It was painful.

From the sink, he got a handful of water and splashed his face, massaging his temples, trying to wake himself up after a night without much sleep. He looked up at the mirror, watching tiny water droplets trail down his face, and drip off his cheeks. Darkened under-eye circles fell under his foggy golden eyes, and his skin was much paler.

He looked terrible, and that was something his twin would never let him forget, but he figured a little foundation would help and didn't bother to do anything else.

He left the bathroom and went to his closet, if would be trashed if the maids didn't go in daily to clean. He wasn't as graceful and adamant he'd have a perfectly organized closet and to have everything perfect as he was two years ago. Though, two years ago, everything really was prefect.

He was a broken man, slowly falling apart as the clock of life ticked on.

Though, unfortunately, that clock didn't care whether you were lost and depressed, you're just a tiny speed bump that doesn't affect anyone but yourself.

He threw a shirt on, a pair of jeans (to which he needed a belt for now) and finally went down stairs. The smell of a familiar meal getting stronger as he got to the living room. A maid who, was holding a pile of clean linens, bowed her head as he walked past her.

"She's here again, isn't she?" Hikaru mumbled, casting a suspicious grimace to the door to the kitchen. "...Making breakfast?"

"She got here earlier then some of us did," the maid replied honestly, glaring at the door, to which she had just came out of. "She's been humming and whistling all morning, just waiting for you to come down. She just walks around here like she owns everything."

He sighed. "Yeah... she gives this place a comfortable vibe though, doesn't she?"

"If you like that kind of vibe," the pudgy female maid said, her wrinkled forehead gained more wrinkles as she sneered. "I don't like her, she's getting too comfortable in a place that she doesn't fit in."

He knew what she was talking about, but didn't get upset, because he knew she was right. "...Well-"

"Like a gorilla trying to fit inside a bird's nest."

Hikaru snickered, flapping his wrist in dismissal to her, shaking his head at her until she was gone, and once she was, his lips curved into a frown, and he sulked.

 _Pointless, but she can try..._

Dragging himself to the kitchen, where the sound of clanking pots and pans lured him into it, where the smell of fried food hit him hard in the chest. He blinked a few times, looking around, before his gaze landed on a tall, slender figure standing behind the counter, fiddling with the stove. Hikaru took in the smell, and rolled his eyes.

"Kagami," he said firmly, his brow was narrowed into a harmless solemn stare. "...What're you doing here? It's morning."

The woman with a slim frame gracefully spun around on her heel and turned towards him. Her elbow-length brown hair was pulled into a long brown pigtail that swished behind her. Her dark brown eyes glistened as the light hit them.

"Hikaru," she smiled brightly, tiny dimples formed near her lips. She fiddled with her tight apron before looking back up at him. "Morning. The maids let me in earlier. I thought some homemade breakfast would make you feel better, you came home so late last night so..."

Hikaru's lips twitched as he glazed at all the dirty pans on the counter, utensils that were thrown around randomly most likely from her trying to find the right ones to use, and food stains on the marble.

"...You're messing up her kitchen."

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

Kagami blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings as she looked at his disturbed expression with a confused eyebrow. She looked around the area she was cooking in and sweat-dropped at the mess, though cleaning it up was not very high on her list of main priorities, so she'd just let the maids take care of it.

She had come over to his house a couple of times a week, either in the morning to make him what she called 'breakfast' or during the day when she knew he wasn't at work, to try to comfort him on bad days. her visits were mostly unannounced, but he didn't make a big deal of it.

She doesn't fill the gap that was there from when Haruhi left, but she did make life a little less lonely, especially around the house. She gave off the impression that there was a wife there again.

"Are you going to eat something?" she said suggestively, blinking a few times as she threw her hand out to a plate she made for him. "It's Tamagoyaki and umeboshi. Your favorite?"

 _Was my favorite, three months ago when you didn't make it everyday_. Hikaru made a face at it then turned around. "I don't think so. I'm not hungry."

Her face turned sour, as though she had just be insulted in the worse possible way, and stuck her bottom lip out, pouting. "You don't like it anymore? You can't go to work without eating."

"Doesn't do any good eating if I'm not in the mood."

"Don't you at least want some coffee?"

"No..."

Kagami glared, tightening her lips in a tight knot as she untied her apron and threw it on the table. Grumbling irritably. "You can't keep letting this control you, you didn't eat dinner last night either. She's gone, Hikaru, she's been gone for so long... You'll make yourself sick if you don't get over... this." Her voice cracked, knowing she said something she shouldn't have.

His heart twinged, but he didn't say anything. He gave one last look towards her before turning back around and walking out the door, but before he could get far, Kagami looped her arm through his and tugged him back, forcing him to stop.

"Wait a second, Hikaru, I..." she murmured, her face flustering darker. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean It like that. I-... I know you still love her, it's just that... I worry about you sometimes."

"You don't have to worry about anything," Hikaru said coldly, with more emotion then he intended. He hesitated when she saw her face. Then sighed in utter defeat. " _Fine_... I'll have something before I leave."

She grinned, and while she walked back into the kitchen, Hikaru watched her leave, wondering why he acted so calmly just then. If she had told him that five months earlier, he would have snapped.

Was he getting over it?

He shook his head at the thought.

It wasn't as though he wanted to torture himself with her memory, and being pained with the fact that he would never see her again. No, he didn't want that, and wished he could think of anything else but that, but it was that he didn't want to let go. He didn't want to face the cold reality that he was never going to see her again. He didn't want to forget about her, and go on with life without her.

He wanted her back.

But he knew that, that wasn't possible. You can't wish for something and have it pop up right in front of you.

He only wished it was the simple.

* * *

How long has it been? it seems so long...

Hikaru, sitting at his desk in his office, flipped mindlessly through his notes, and sketches. Most of them were old, as he hadn't felt the ambition to draw anything for the longest time. Most of them were what he had drawn for Haruhi before she disappeared. Things he'd draw at work and fantasize her wearing.

He bit the inside of his cheek, feeling his eyes burn from tears wanting to escape. He wouldn't let them though, and quickly blinked them away, before tossing his sketchbook inside of his drawer more aggressively then he needed to. He sighed and slumped against the edge of his desk again, staring absent-mindedly at the wall.

A picture, that was of him his brother and Haruhi sat on his desk a long time ago, but like everything else, he threw it into his bottom drawer out of anger. He couldn't live with looking at her face at work, and not being able to come back home to her afterwards. It hurt too much.

He looked at his laptop, the background wallpaper use to be of her too, but he changed it. Now it was plain white, besides the colorful squares of the programs. He sighed.

He could hear her voice... see her face... everything. It was as though she was there with him.

* * *

 _It was dark, completely black and he couldn't see a thing. No sounds could be heard, and no one else was with him. It was strange, and something was wrong. He wasn't hot, nor was he cold. He couldn't feel anything._

 _Though, just as he was getting comfortable to the cold dark loneliness, it unnaturally turned to a bright, paralyzing white, so bright that it burned his eyes. He shielded his eyes with the crook of his arm, and squinted to see. Even if he didn't know what he was trying to 'see'._

 _Then, just as fast as it came, the great bright white of nothing faded into a more comfortable white, not the kind that stung. With watery eyes, he blinked and looked ahead. Which was where she was..._

 _His face went as white was his surrounding as he stared at her, completely and utterly horrified on the inside._

 _She was there, right in front of him..._

 _"...Haruhi?"_

 _She smiled. "Hikaru, there you are... I've been waiting for you to come."_

 _He looked at her as if she was a ghost. "Wha- what? Haruhi where... where have you been?"_

 _"...What're you talking about, Hikaru?" Smiling warmly, she took a step forward. "I didn't go anywhere."_

 _Still dumbfounded, he could barely get any words out properly. "...You've been gone for so long, how-... how can you say that?"_

 _She took another step, getting closer. Her footsteps had no sound to the white floor, it was as though she wasn't there to begin with. She seemed so angelic. "I'm sorry... you must be lonely. But it isn't your fault, so don't blame yourself."  
_

 _Tears fell from his face, but he couldn't feel them. Why not? why couldn't he?_

...Hikaru?

 _Haruhi," he managed, swallowing hard. He couldn't believe anything he was seeing. How could she be there? why did she look so strange? Even with that comforting smile, she looked... sad. "Haruhi, is something wrong? what's the matter?"_

 _"...Nothing Hikaru, I'm fine, pay attention to yourself, please... I worry about you."_

 _"Why me? you're the one I can't find..."_

 _"I'm fine, I'm not lost. Stop trying so hard."_

 _"What is that suppose to mean?"_

 _She looked at him, her eyelids lowering. She waited a few moments, just watching his face turn to confusion. "It's nothing... I just don't want you to get your hopes up for nothing. I want you to be happy."_

...Hikaru?

 _"I was happy," he stretched his arm out to her, stepping closer to her, until they were at arms reach. He reached for her hand, but she stepped back. "...Before you left. If you're okay, then come back... I don't understand."_

 _"Hikaru listen..." She moved back to him, raised her hand, touching his cheek with a curled finger. "Just calm down... remember, everything happens for a reason. Even though sometimes we might not always understand what those reasons are."_

 _More tears stung his eyes as he bit his lip, reaching to touch her back. "You could tell me... then I'd understand." He tried to touch her, but she began to fade. "...Haruhi?"_

 _"I'm sorry Hikaru, we can't be together right now..."_

 _"Why not?" snapping, Hikaru clenched his hand into a fist, shutting his eyes, trying to keep himself from crying again. "Haruhi I can't do this anymore, I-... I barely remember what you look like, you've been gone for so long, why do you-..."_

 _He opened his eyes again, but she was gone, and he was left staring into a white abyss of nothing, alone._

 _"Haruhi! wait, I-... I love you."_

...Hikaru wake up!

* * *

"...I love you."

"Hikaru, wake up!"

Gasping in shock, Hikaru's body jolted in fright and he shot up to a proper sitting position. His cheek was numb from resting on the table. He blinked a few times, getting use to the image of reality after a dream.

He breathed softly from his mouth, looking down at the surface to which he was laying on, and saw a few pieces of crinkled paper. He narrowed his brow at it and looked up, to where the voice, that woke him up, came from.

And there stood his mirror image.

"...Kaoru?"

Standing over him from the other side of the desk, Kaoru looked down at his older twin and sighed, glancing at his ruffled auburn bangs with a concerned eyebrow.

"Hikaru," he muttered, both hand on the desk, hunched over after attempting to wake his brother up for the past ten minutes. "...are you okay? you were mumbling in your sleep."

Hikaru scrunched his face up in a scowl. "I... was asleep?"

"Yeah... you kept saying her name, and you looked upset, so... I thought I'd wake you up."

Frowning at the image of how his dream ended, Hikaru scoffed irritably under his breath. "Should'a woke me up sooner."

Kaoru ignored that and detached himself from the table, standing up straight. He looked at his sibling with a troubled stare. "Sorry, but if you'd-"

"Don't tell me I need to get over her, I've heard that one too many times today, and I don't want to hear it from you."

"I wasn't going to say that." Softly, Kaoru said, folding his arms over his chest. "I just think you should get more sleep at home, this is the third time you've fallen asleep somewhere at work this week. Have you eaten? you haven't, have you?"

"I'm a grown man, Kao, I don't need you reminding me to eat either," Hikaru grumbled in annoyance, flapping his wrist. "Don't you have a wife to worry about?"

"There's nothing wrong with Mokoto, but you look terrible." Arguing, Kaoru leaned back on his heels and took a mental note to give his brother extra face cream. "I wish you'd take better care of yourself, I know things are a little complicated right now, but Hikaru... you look the same as you did six months ago."

Hikaru looked up at him offended, making Kaoru sigh, wondering why he could never say anything without hitting a nerve.

"Basically you're saying-"

"Don't twist my words around," Kaoru had to stop him before he could finish. "I really wish you'd stop that, all I'm saying is that I don't want you getting sick. Haruhi would want you to..." He stopped, looked at his twins face, then continued. "To at least get enough sleep. Eat something."

"If I'm not in the mood, I don't see how I can eat."

"You haven't been in the mood to, for over a year, Hikaru, please, I'm asking you as a concerned brother, not your mother," he paused again. "Also... mom thinks you should have the maids make you bento boxes for lunch... she's concerned too."

"You're acting like I haven't had a meal since she left," Hikaru, now irritated, tightened his lips to the fact that his wife had come to be the center of the conversation. "Kagami, though I don't know how, comes over all the time and forces me to eat, so I have someone to worry about that already."

"Fine I give up anyway," Kaoru threw his hands up, turning around to go back to his own office, to reply to his wife's phone call he ignored. "But when I come in here at lunch and you're still here, I'll tell mom, and you know you have to listen to her."

Hikaru rolled his eyes, swatting his hand to his twin to dismiss him, then spun his chair around to do some work he had avoided for two weeks, muttering under his breath.

"Well when your wife leaves you, then you can have room to talk."

Kaoru turned back around, glaring. "What was that?"

" _Nothing_."


	3. Chapter 3

**Fire And Fury**

* * *

It hurts when you have someone in your heart, but you can't have in your arms.

He loved her, still, after all this time. Why couldn't he have what he wanted? why do bad things happened to good people? Why did she have to leave? what did he do to make her leave? what did he do to make her stop loving him? he didn't understand.

So many questions, yet he had no one to answer them.

The same questions he kept asking himself, as there was only so much to ask. Where was his wife? Did she really just leave him to be alone and have her own life again like Kyouya suggested? Was she somewhere yet still loved him? What could he do to try harder at finding her? Where could he start? Did he still love her? or was he saying so just to help himself hang on to her a little longer?

He couldn't help it. Not knowing where she was made his heart hurt, yet he wasn't really sure if he wanted to know where she was. If he had one wish, it wouldn't be the ability to know where Haruhi was, more like, be able to know whether or not she was okay.

Other than the possibility that she may have left him for another, Kyouya had told him to think the worse, and that she might actually not be alive anymore. He didn't want to think about it, as he wanted so much more out of life with her, but he wasn't going to doubt any possibility at this point.

His shell was all out of hope, where hope should be, there was self-blame and disgust for himself. He must have done something wrong; something he didn't mean to do, to make her leave.

It was his fault wasn't it? He was the reason why the love of his life left him, causing his world to have no further meaning to it.

He was disgusted. If only he knew what that thing was that he did. Subconsciously, he mumbled his last thoughts out-loud.

"I'm sorry..."

"It's okay."

Gasping in shock, Hikaru jumped slightly in his seat, as he was knocked out of his daze, back into the cruel reality. His golden eyes flickered around the room, as for a moment, he wasn't sure where he was at, but not a second later he realized he was in the same room to which he sat down in. The living room.

He blinked in confusion, not expecting to be replied to, and his eyes followed where the feminine voice came from, and sitting right next to him, so close they were almost touching, was Kagami. A tiny smile on her painted red lips.

"I mean," she tilted her head up to look at his freaked expression, pocking him in the arm. "You've only been ignoring me for the past ten minutes, it's fine though... were you thinking?"

Hikaru looked over at her, not remembering ever sitting down on the couch next to her, but there she was, sitting right beside him, their knees centimeters apart from touching. He narrowed his brow at her suspiciously and scooted away. "Uh... yeah."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Where did you come from?"

"You kept looking down at the floor, and making your hands into fists... like you were day dreaming about something."

Hikaru sighed, and froze, feeling her hand on his leg. He glared towards her and slowly lifted her limb off with his fingers. "I guess... How did you get in again?"

Kagami gave him a weird look, and slowly moved herself away from him, a little, being a foot away. "What's the matter? Is something wrong?"

"The maids aren't in today, how'd you get in my house?"

She hesitated, a little pink in the face. "I-... The door was unlocked. I knocked but you didn't answer so I thought I'd come in and help you clean. I know the maids don't come here on Sundays."

Hikaru swallowed hard, looking down at the floor boards, he bit his lip and rubbed his hands together. His deep thinking had gotten his blood boiling, he was angry with himself, insisting everything now was his fault. His wife could be dead and it would be his fault, and he wouldn't even know.

His heart turned to a painful angle, and he clenched his hand into a fist. Everything would be so much easier, if he could just let her go, and want to let her go. Everything would be so much better, if he hadn't have gotten in a romantic relationship with her in the first place. He shouldn't have tried so hard.

Kagami looked at him sympathetically, lowering her eyes in concern. She reached her hand out and placed it on his. He flinched and ripped his hand away from her, standing up. "H-...Hikaru?"

"Sorry, I-... I can't..." Can't what? he didn't know... he just knew that he couldn't do it. "Just don't touch me..."

"O-...okay."

He was sweating, his shoulders shook, he had chills. He was freaking out. He took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair, cursing under his breath, wondering why he was acting the way he was. He was about to forget everything and escape to a room where he'd be alone, but a sudden knock at the door stopped him from doing anything.

Both he and Kagami looked up at the same time. They glanced at the door and she began to stand up, but stopped as Hikaru hurried out of the room first to get it. She scowled irritably and sunk back into the cushion of the couch.

What was she doing wrong? Why couldn't he just pay a little attention to her?

* * *

Hikaru sighed, messing his bangs up with his fingers as he tried to get a few things out of his head. He didn't know who'd to expect behind the door, but they continued to knock. Their knocks on the hard wood echoed through the room and the hall.

He twitched, sighing heavily, not paying attention to anything behind him, or that Kagami had walked up behind him, looking at the door curiously. Whoever was at the door, kept knocking. More aggressively each time.

He got to the door and grabbed the knob, but before he could open it, it opened by itself, making his jump slightly and back up, so he wouldn't get hit in the face by his own door. He stood in dumbfoundment, and stared mindlessly through the doorway.

Standing there, all a little irritated, was all the formal members of Ouran's famous Host-club. He blinked and looked at all of their faces, utterly confused.

Kyouya, Tamaki, Takashi, Mitsukuni, and Kaoru stood there, their arms crossed, but Kaoru stood in front, being the one to open it without his consent. They all glared in annoyance, making Hikaru sweat-drop form their intense gaze.

"What're you doing here?" He muttered, not saying anyone's name in particular, as he meant it to them all. "I'm busy... quit knocking holes in my door."

They didn't say anything, and Kaoru merely pushed his way past his brother, one arm extended to the side. They all followed him inside, and stood in the hall. Hikaru blinked, now looking at an empty doorway. He rolled his eyes and slammed the door.

"Sure let yourselves in," he turned around, only to see Kagami standing right behind him, and his friends throwing him suspicious glares. "...What? Kyouya, I though you were in China?"

" _Was_ , I flew in last night," Kyouya, the raven haired man with glasses mumbled. Hikaru believed him, his tired eyes from long hours in a privet jet glared at him through his glasses. "We need to talk."

"About-?"

"Who's she?" Kaoru interrupted his Hikaru, pointing to Kagami, who was standing close to his twin. "What's she doing here?"

"Doesn't matter," scowling, Hikaru flapped his arm to the woman standing beside him, as she was of non importance. "What are _you_ doing here? You guys never come over like this. I'm not really in the mood for company."

"We're not company," Kyouya said blankly, glancing towards Tamaki, who caught his eye and piped up instantly. "That's right, Hikaru, we're your friends and we didn't come to visit. We... have things to talk about."

Hikaru raised his eyebrow suspiciously, catching Kaoru's glances towards Kagami. He sighed and crossed his arms. "About what?"

Kaoru looked at Kagami again. "In privet."

"It doesn't really matter, Kaoru."

"...It's about, Haruhi."

Hikaru's eyes widened, and felt his insides come to in instant halt, and it felt like a full minute before his heart started beating again. He held his breath, tightening his hands into fists as he folded his arms against his chest. "What about her? do... you know where she is?"

"No," Kyouya shot him down instantly, a solemn expression as he caught a glimpse of Kagami's face, which looked a mixture of concern and annoyance. "...We still have no trace of her whereabouts, just like the last twelve months of the privet search from my families police force."

Hikaru's face fell, not understanding why they had to torture him like this. Mention his missing wife, only to tell him they made no progress. Why say anything at all? "So what? what's so important we have to talk about in privet? if you're just going to-"

"We think that Haruhi might not even be in the country anymore..."

Hikaru leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "...She's not in the country anymore? so where is she than? _Bali_?" he said sarcastically.

"We don't know, but what we _do_ know is that we're not getting anywhere looking just in Japan," Kyouya said, gripping the strap to his bag. "...I'm asking you permission to send a small privet search party to China. Maybe Korea."

"What would Haruhi go to Korea for? why would she even leave Japan in the first place?" snapping, Hikaru let out a breath, one he didn't even know he was holding until then. "That doesn't make sense, she's never wanted to leave anywhere. She's hates traveling."

"We're not even certain of that either. For all we know, she could be in America, or she might not even have left, and still be somewhere here," Tamaki added, his forehead growing a crease of worry. "We just want to make sure... its been a year and we haven't see anything of her at all."

Mitsukuni sighed, standing right beside his cousin. "Kyou-chan wants to put up a reward up, for Haru-chan too."

Takashi nodded.

"What good would that do? and I already thought about that, if we haven't found her, what makes you think someone else will?"

"It's just a thought, Hikaru," Tamaki sighed, sticking his hands deep into his pockets, saying hesitantly. "I thought you said you'd do anything to find her? The reward money doesn't even have to be that high."

"I'm not worried about the money." Glaring Hikaru curled his upper lip in aggravation. "That was six months ago when we all thought we'd actually get somewhere. Six months later we still have nothing to show for all this work. Why try anymore?"

"If we don't try, we'll get nowhere at all..." the blonde argued. "She's out there somewhere, and we had to find her, right? We just have to look harder-"

"Well maybe she doesn't _want_ to be found," Hikaru remarked, his eyebrow twitching uncontrollably. "Don't you think we would have by now if she did?"

"Maybe she does want to be found and come home. Someone just isn't letting that happen."

"Yeah, like her knew boyfriend."

"You still think Haruhi would leave you?" Kaoru rolled his eyes. "I doubt that."

"Kyouya said it, not me."

"I said to consider all the possibilities, and that, that was one of them." Kyouya explained. The light from the chandelier reflected off his glasses, hiding his eyes. "But you're right, if we haven't found her by now, not even Haruhi being in a new relationship would keep us from finding something... It'd be a miracle that we find her alive."

"Kyouya!" Kaoru hissed, looking over at his brother who seemed unfazed by what he said. "Hikaru... we can't give up hope, lots of people have gone missing and have been found from a longer time period than a year."

"I lost hope a long time ago," Hikaru grumbled. "If Haruhi wanted to leave, I can't do anything about It."

"You can't just assume that, Hikaru, she's your wife..."

"Well what else can I assume, Kaoru?" Turing to his brother, not being able to hide the hurt and emptiness in his eyes, Hikaru said firmly. "There isn't anything to do that we haven't already done. I've given up."

Kyouya sighed, throwing his bag to the side on the table. "Whether you've given up or not, I still want to send a search party to China."

"Do what you want, I don't care anymore..."

Kaoru sighed, looking over at his twin again, trying fruitlessly to inject some hope into him, or at least try to make him see that he wasn't alone, but as he did, he witnessed Kagami's hand had found his brothers, and she was rubbing her thumb over the backside of his palm. Not matter how much he wanted to pull them apart, he stayed put.

"You must be Kagami..." he mentioned causally, hiding his irritated scowl behind his friendly smile, almost forcing himself to lift his hand for her to shake. "...Hikaru talks about you at work."

Kagami grinned, looking up at Hikaru's suspicious expression he was casting to his younger brother. "You talk about me at work, Hikaru?"

"Although..." Kaoru continued, after she had laid her hand on his lightly. "...I thought you were just a mere maid, not an actual acquaintance."

"... _Oh_."

Hikaru glared, shooing her hand off of his own. He looked over at his brother with a glare. "I'm not in the mood to listen to this. If this is all you wanted to talk about, you can go now. Let yourselves out."

Kaoru snatched his hand away from the woman who had hers still on his. He looked up hurriedly, only to see his brother walk away from them around the corner, heading upstairs, and was taken aback when Kagami trotted after him, calling his name.

With a disgusted grim, Kaoru narrowed his brow into a scowl and turned around, heading for the door.

"What was that?" Kyouya mentioned under his breath, not moving from his spot as he looked at Kaoru, watching him grip the doorknob. "That was a little out of character of you. She was only passing formalities with you."

"Something's off." Kaoru admitted, turning back around, speaking in a low voice. "Hikaru doesn't give a damn about Haruhi now, and-... and he's here with another woman... Just last month he was pushing for more men for the search down in Yokohama."

"What are you getting at?"

"I don't like her."

Kyouya sighed, adjusting his glasses as he glanced over his shoulder curiously, as he hear two pairs of footsteps tread up the steps. "You're jealous?"

"I'm not jealous," Kaoru glared. Normally he wouldn't act like this, but there was something wrong with his brother. "There's something about her, Kyouya, and my brother is too big of an idiot to see it."

"Hikaru's a broken man, he's lost his wife." Tamaki spoke up, not seeing anything wrong with the dark brunette. "Maybe comfort from another woman is helping him cope?"

"...Exactly. Comfort from another woman," Kaoru said, feeling his brow twitch. "She's taking advantage of his grief. Whether Haruhi's here or not, Hikaru's still married to her, and she doesn't care."

"You've only been in the same room with her for less then twenty minutes, and you're already assuming all of this?" Kyouya shook his head, putting his notebook away into his bag, ready to leave. He opened his mouth to continue, but Tamaki cut him off.

"Hikaru and Haruhi have been married for... three years now I think, he wouldn't just give up on her and leave with someone else." The blonde said positively. "I think you need to have a little more faith in your brother. He wants Haruhi back just as much as everyone else."

Kaoru clenched his jaw, glaring at the floor, and his blurry reflection on the shiny tile. "...I know he still loves her, but... he's so vulnerable. He'll take any kind of sympathy he can get."

"You're upset over this I can tell," Mitsukuni muttered quietly, looking towards the direction where Hikaru and Kagami walked off in. "Though I think we should be more angry about other things rather than Kaga-chan."

"I'm angry that she's trying to take Haruhi's place," Kaoru grabbed the doorknob again and swung the door open from them all to leave. "Hikaru doesn't really talk about her, but he mentions her a lot while we're working. He mentions her so much that it sounds like she's living here with him."

"Kagami's living here?" Tamaki whispered, out-loud, as though to get his head around it. "No. Hikaru wouldn't let her live here, Haruhi hasn't been gone that long. There's still hope that she's out there somewhere."

"Yeah, but Hikaru's given up on that hope. He's done, I can see it." The youngest Hitachiin twin sighed, walking to stand in the doorway, to call his chauffeur back to the driveway. "He's tried too hard already, now its like his body is just shutting down. He isn't going to try anymore now. Now it's just grief of loosing his wife, and he isn't going to think otherwise."

"...It sounded like Hika-chan was angry at Haru-chan though."

"He's mad at her for leaving him. He still thinks she got sick of him and left for someone else. He's a complete fool for thinking that of her, but I gave up trying to change his mind."

Tamaki huffed in annoyance. "I don't get why he'd pick something so ridiculous to believe in."

"I actually think it's helping him feel better about everything," Kaoru fiddled with his phone, messaging his driver to come back around the large house to take them all back home. "...That way it sounds like it's his fault, and if she's with someone else, than she's okay, and there's nothing wrong with her, but... if not that, than the only other logical explanation for her disappearance would be..."

"Death..." Kyouya said what he couldn't bring himself to say. "He doesn't want to think his wife is dead so he made his own assumption that she left him. Basically he's scared to face reality."

"...Um, Kyou-chan?"

"...He's right behind you, Kyouya."

Kyouya, merely turning his head to the side, saw Hikaru standing behind him. He sighed lightly and casually walked away from him, knowing that he said something he probably shouldn't have, but didn't regret it, as it was the truth that he needed to know.

"Hikaru..." Kaoru mumbled, with a sympathetic expression, his heart tightening under his brothers cold lethal glare. "Look, we-"

" _Get out_."

"...We're just worried about you." Kaoru tried to explain, only to receive the same look as everyone else was getting. "Hikaru... please, quit shutting people out, we're tying to help you. We can't get anywhere closer in finding Haruhi if you don't try."

Hikaru looked at his friends, who he had found out by Kagami, that they were talking behind his back. He looked at them all, watching them slowly move themselves out the door, obeying him. But Kaoru was the only one standing still. "...Get out." He repeated.

"I'm leaving," He almost growled, assured his older brother. He glanced around, seeing the brunette standing right behind Hikaru once more. He rolled his eyes and walked out onto the porch. "Ignore what Kyouya said, Hikaru... Things are hard on everyone right now..."

"Now, Kaoru."

Kaoru glared, backing away a little more, only to have the door slammed in his face. He clenched his fist and sighed heavily in hopelessness. "Damn it, nothing gets through his thick skull."

Everyone behind him nodded, and as they all started to walk back to the car, which had just pulled up around the round driveway, they wondered how long Hikaru was going to keep his particular bad mood.

Kaoru slid into his seat in the back of his limo, followed by the others, Kyouya and Takashi sat beside him, while Tamaki and mitsukuni sat in front of them, facing them. Their drive was filled with silence. Until Kyouya spoke up randomly.

"Is it just me," he started, staring at his phone, which showered him with business appointments. "Or... does Kagami look fairly similar... Haruhi?"

They were all silent once more.


	4. Chapter 4

**Rusting Memories**

* * *

It's a sad reality, we are all so selfish. We all want what we can't have, and complain about all the things we do have. And we don't know just how important those things are until they're gone...

Hikaru, standing around mindlessly in his wife's former closet, held a small box full of things that he was moving out of it. Haruhi was never coming back, so he was getting rid of all the stuff she never liked anyway.

That included numerous things such as beauty products, and other stuff Haruhi though was absolutely unnecessary. He was a man and didn't see the need to keep any of it.

Though, he didn't need anything in her closet and was fully intending to get rid of it all... he just couldn't bring himself to do it. he didn't want to let it all go like he let his wife go.

Getting rid of all her things, would verify that she was gone completely, and while he knew that, he didn't want to believe it.

He had just lost everything, and now, everything else just didn't matter to him anymore.

Hikaru gripped the box he was holding and dropped it on the floor. Everything that was in it made a loud crash sound as it hit the bottom, but he rolled his eyes to it and went back to the other side of the closet, the side he refused to touch.

It was where all her clothes were, he didn't see the need to mess with anything that was there, as Haruhi never saw a need to keep clothes she never wore, so everything that was hung up, was things she had worn most recently, or at least before she left.

She isn't coming back. She's gone, she doesn't care, if she did, she would have been back by now. He told himself, ripping a few garments off the railing by their hangers and threw them into another box that was off to the side. Before going back to the box, he threw tossing a pair of shoes in it that Haruhi despised and never wore, saying that they were uncomfortable.

He swallowed down the lump in his throat and bit the inside of his bottom lip, grabbing a box that sat on the small stool in the corner. The closet was large though Haruhi wasn't really the kind of person to need many things, so there wasn't a lot to pick up.

He'd just leave it all alone if... their closets didn't connect. He wanted to forget her and want to get her out of his head for good. If she was never coming back, there was no reason to keep holding on to her.

She still held onto a piece of his heart, and he couldn't stop thinking about her. He just needed to get rid of her and get her out of his life.

He needed to keep going on and find a different happiness. A kind of happiness in someone else. He needed to love someone else.

Though, that was easier said than done. He wanted her back and wanted to love only her, but... he knew that she didn't want that, and that was the pill he just couldn't swallow.

He loved her, but she never loved him back.

He should have expected it, but he was such a fool and blinded by feelings that he never paid attention to the little hints she gave him that would lead to what she did, and how she hurt him.

Hikaru shook his head, feeling a burning sensation in his eyes. He refused to cry anymore, he had done that too much already. If she didn't love him then she wasn't worth his tears.

How could someone who once made you the happiest person in the world, also make you the saddest? the most broken, angry, and betrayed...

Hikaru glared, clenching his fingers into a fist, slamming his hand against the wall, causing a loud thump to echo through the closet. He tightened his jaw and leaned his forehead against the frame of the sliding door.

"Damn It." He whispered out loud, closing his eyes, trying to prevent any tears of frustration from escaping. "...I can't do this anymore. This sucks."

He felt sick in the pit of his stomach, he didn't know what from, but he didn't like it. A painful twinge shot through his heart as he shut his tightly, forcing the tiny droplets of his tears to escape from the edges of his eyelids.

Why did life have to be so complicated? why couldn't he have what he wanted that was taken away from him? What did he do to make God so angry at him?

He stood up straight, figuring that doing nothing and crying over everything wasn't doing him any good, so he tried to go back to what he was doing. Cleaning out his wife's closet.

Picking up the box he had given up on and had thrown on the floor, he placed it on top of the box that was on the stool and looked at it before walking to the shelf that was over the clothes rack and near the ceiling.

The shelf was just at the right height that he had to step on his tip-toes to reach anything on it. He looked up at it, but the only thing on there was a small cardboard box. He wasn't the one to put it there, so Haruhi must have something in it, and had put it there herself.

He found himself not wanting to look at it but wondered what he might find in it, so reached for it anyway.

He grabbed the upper part of the box and balanced himself on his toes, it wasn't a very large box, maybe the same size of a shoebox, but once he grabbed hold of it, he realized it was heavier than it looked and found himself struggling to lift it up. The Shelf towered over his head at least a foot, so once he grabbed it, it tipped over the edge of the shelf and that was the moment he realized that it was opened,

He pulled it towards him, and it fell off the shelf, sending something out from the top, something square and heavy, it fell out from the top and came down towards his head, he didn't have time to register what was happening and before he could step back, that something came down and came right in contact with his forehead.

Then everything went black.

* * *

 _"Hikaru, I'm trying to do my work..."_

 _"Don't mind me."_

 _"That's hard because... you're kissing my neck, I can't ignore you."_

 _"That's a problem, isn't it?"_

 _She gave a long hollow sigh, making him laugh, he grinned and nuzzled his nose against the skin on her neck. He used his hand to brush away her shoulder length hair away from her face and pulled it behind her ear. "Don't work too hard babe, you'll fall over dead, and I don't know what I'd do without you."_

 _"Yeah," Haruhi snorted flapping her wrist towards him in dismissal. "I'll try not to. Now go do something, I'll go make lunch when I'm done."_

 _"Since we have maids to do that, you can use that time you were going to make lunch, and instead, you can come spend time with me." He said seductively, kissing her upper jaw, making her shiver. "And remember to use the calculator instead of just doing it in your head, I don't want you getting a headache."_

 _"Aw, you don't-"_

 _"You take your moodiness out on me."_

 _"Oh."_

 _Hikaru snickered, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, laying his chin down on her shoulder, rubbing his cheek against her face lovingly. "Couldn't you just leave you work here? we could go do something since tomorrow you'll be gone all day."_

 _"But I have to have this done bef-...ore." Haruhi stopped to let out a tiny sigh, as Hikaru's lips found their way to her neck again. She tried to roll her eyes, but instead they closed. "Hikaru... I thought you said you were going to let me do my work and be supportive about it?"_

 _His hands moved around her neck, trailing his fingertips across her skin, making her shudder. His lips curved into a smirk against her. "Okay... starting five minutes from now."_

 _"No, starting right now." With common sense kicking in, Haruhi sat up straight and pressed her hand to his chest, shoving him away... or at last tried to. "I really have to have this report done, I don't have time to be your make-out toy."_

 _"Make-out toy? that's just called being a wife." As though that was the best bundle of logic, Hikaru smirked smugly to himself and squeezed her tighter, inhaling the musky scent of her shampoo. "You've been so worried about work, that you're forgetting that you're supposed to enjoy what you do."_

 _"I am enjoying it," she muttered in a know-it-all tone. "And I'd enjoy it if you would leave me alone so I could finish."_

 _"...How rude. You take my feelings for granted." Hikaru pouted, laying his chin down on her shoulder, looking down at all her complicated paperwork. "I thought you loved me?"_

 _"...Right, but not as enthusiastic as I do when I'm not doing anything."_

 _Hikaru scowled, rubbing his cheeks close to the crook of her neck as he could get and jabbed her cheek playfully with his finger. "...Fine, I'll leave you alone... even though that means... I'll be alone."_

 _"Well, go find some friends."_

 _"I'm a grown man... all my friends are too busy."_

 _Haruhi sighed. "You're so immature..."_

 _Yeah, I am... Is that what chased you away?_

 _Hikaru smirked again, cocking his head to the side as he looked at her with pure adoration. Haruhi turned to him after he had been silent for A few seconds and raised her eyebrow at his expression. "What?"_

 _"Nothing," he insisted, smiling as he leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I just love you so much."_

 _"Uh-huh..." She mumbled suspiciously, looking up at his fingers hat was inching closer and closer to the paper that was in front of her. She frowned and swatted at his hand. "Go away."_

 _Hikaru only smirked. "I'm so bored. I don't have work to do, and I want to spend time with you before you leave tomorrow."_

 _"Where do you think I'm going?"_

 _"Well... Work, obviously. But you'll be gone all day! And I'm off tomorrow. I'll be all alone."_

 _"There's maids here to keep you company.'_

 _"The maids aren't you."_

 _"I'm sure you'll survive. We could use some time away from each other. It'll be fine."_

* * *

Fine, right... it'll be fine. I can live without you. It's perfectly fine.

"Mm... Haruhi?"

"Shhh... don't move, you'll aggravate it."

"Ow..."

"Don't touch it, I already have ice on it."

Flinching from under a cold sensation touching his skin, Hikaru clenched his jaw and hissed through his teeth as a twinge of pain shot through his forehead. He felt soft delicate fingers brush against his cheek comfortingly. He shut his eye tight, trying to distract him from the throbbing pain in his head.

"You got hit in the head... are you okay?" A soft voice explained and said, running their fingers through his hair. The voice was so familiar, but as he was still half unconscious, he couldn't open his eyes yet. "...You should be more careful, now you have a nasty bump."

Hikaru cursed, tightening his fist as he raised his hand to his head, rubbing his forehead, trying to ease the discomfort. He felt a knot and groaned. "...Damn it... what happened?"

"I said you got hit in the head. I found you laying here..." A tad of annoyance was in the female voice as his head laid on her lap. "...this box hit you I think... because it's broken. Did it hurt? it looks pretty heavy."

"I-... I don't know," Hikaru muttered, his eyes slowly fluttering open. Though his blurry vision, he tilted his head up to see who he was talking to. Her brown hair tickled his cheek as the woman looked down at him, concerned. "...Haruhi?"

His vision cleared and instead of his wife looking down at him, whom he thought he was talking to, it was another brown haired broad. He pressed his lips into a tight line and just laid there, disappointed.

Kagami looked down at him in discouragement, but as he still looked a little out of it, she let his confusion slide and smiled warmly, stroking his hair again.

"No..." she whispered, giving him a sympathetic frown. "It's me... Are you okay now? You were out for a good ten, maybe fifteen minutes."

Shooing away the frozen ice pack she insisted on pressing to his head, Hikaru, with his head still on her lap, glared at the ceiling, turning his head to glare at the shelf. The box he had grabbed was now laying on the floor sideways, numerous things had fallen out of it, and he moved his eyes to the box that fell out of it, that hit him.

It was a foot tall and laid on its side on the floor. He wasn't quite sure what it was at first glance, but as he got a better look at it, glancing at it's broken lid that must've broke when it hit him in the head and fell on the floor, the memories began to slowly flow back to him.

He shot off Kagami's lap, (something he regretted going once his head ached from the sudden movements) and looked at the broken box, a tiny silver chain hung from the top, as the lid was broken, and he scowled. Sitting up completely.

Looking at the polished box that had tiny drawers and doors, his eyes went wide with curiosity and he grabbed it, now sitting slouched on his bottom. "Oh... That's what it is."

Kagami glanced over at him, displeased that their moment was ruined. "What? What Is that?"

"...An old jewelry box... nothing important."

"Ah. I should have guessed, that's what it kind of looks like."

"Haruhi's old jewelry box... she never used it."

She looked over at him, before crawling over to where he was sitting to get a batter look at it while he held it. It's dark brown polished wood sparkled under the light from the closet. It's glass top was cracked from the impact of it coming down top first on the flooring. "It looks expensive..."

Hikaru looked down and frowned irritably. "Yeah... I wondered a long time ago where she kept it. Apparently she used it so less that she just stored it in a box on the shelf."

She cocked her head to the side, and with gentle fingers, she pulled out the silver chain from the top, which seemed to be tangled around other chains. As un-kept jewelry always did when all jumbled up for a long period of time. "She has a lot of stuff in here, for someone who never used it..."

"She never touched any of that stuff either. That's just a bunch of stuff I'd give her for outfits to wear on formal occasions... And with my family, there's always something to dress up for."

"...All this stuff is so expensive," Kagami's eyes were wide with astonishment. "Why would she just ignore all this stuff?"

"She never felt the need to wear jewelry... it was all so uncomfortable and unnecessary... those being her exact words."

Kagami was silent for a moment. "...Are you going to get rid of all this too? I see you've been cleaning in here."

"I don't know. I was planning on giving all this kind of stuff to someone."

She looked at his confused. "Who would want her old jewelry? not to mention it's broken."

Hikaru looked down at the floor, thinking of the perfect person. Someone who he hadn't seen since Haruhi's disappearance.

* * *

Sitting in his apartment on his futon, with his arm hanging off to the side, a man with apple red hair sighed heavily and leaned his head back against the curve of the small couch. He licked his lips and crossed his legs.

His wife had died over twenty years ago, and now his beloved daughter had been missing for longer than a year. His life had grown to be a little more than lonely, as it was just him now, but he guessed he shouldn't complain. He wasn't the only one who had lost.

Ryoji inhaled softly, moving his hand up to his head, running his fingers through his bangs. A man from his bar had moved in with his a couple years ago, and they were a couple, but another man's presence just couldn't fill in that gap his daughters disappearance left.

He wished he could do something, anything, but he knew he couldn't. If the best detectives in Japan couldn't even find a single hint, then he'd been less than worthless in that department.

Sinking down into the small couch cushions to sulk, the man looked around the room. His brown eyes fell upon the indoor shine in the corner of his apartment. There sat a picture of his deceased wife, and beside her, sat the most recent picture of his daughter, before she practically vanished off the face of the earth.

He looked at it for longer than he knew he should and before he knew it, tears burned behind his eyes, threatening to escape. He shook his head and stood up, in the attempt to find something that would take his mind off of it.

He stood up, dusting his white cotton shirt free of wrinkles. He looked around the dirty house and contemplated on doing something about it, but a loud knock at the door cleared his thoughts and made his freeze in his tracks to the kitchen.

Having no clue who would be visiting him at such an odd hour of the evening, Ryoji couldn't help but be curious and hurriedly walk to the door. He hadn't gotten any company in a long time.

Opening the door hesitantly, he thought it was the police. (due to Haruhi's disappearance he had seen enough of them for one lifetime) Though once he stuck his head out, he was dumbfounded to find his red-headed son-in-law standing before him.

"...Hitachiin?"

Standing on the balcony in front of his father-in-laws apartment door, Hikaru held a box in his hand. But it didn't stay there for long, as he just dropped it in front of him near his feet. He didn't look very pleased about something, but the man inside couldn't name his reason.

"Ranka." He greeted in a muttered tone, lifting his face slightly. His orange fiery bangs revealed his tired bronze orbs. "It's been awhile..."

The middle-aged man could only nod. His face was still tinted with color from his makeup after coming home from work. His eyelashes fluttered as he looked down at the box. "Uh... what is all that?"

Hikaru didn't show any emotion as he took once last glance at the box before he shrugged. "Just stuff I don't want anymore... it's hers, so I thought I'd just drop it off here."

Ryoji blinked, utterly confused. "...Haruhi's stuff?"

"Right. It's just hogging up space."

The way he said it so emotionlessly, made Ryoji raise his eyebrow suspiciously. He looked around of to the side and was taken aback by seeing more boxes than he cared to count.

He looked back at his son-in-law as if he had just betrayed him. "But, why?"

Hikaru just shrugged. "I just can't look at it anymore."

"...Do you want to come inside for a drink? We'll talk about this."

He shook his head. "No... that's something I've managed to keep myself away from."

Ryoji just nodded again. He watched as his son-in-law walked away down the balcony's aisle. But as his eyes traveled further, down to the car he took, and he saw someone in the passenger's seat. A female, with long brown hair, and it wasn't his daughter.

"Wait," he called out, his voice hinted with annoyance, as he watched Hikaru turn around. "Who... Who's that, in there?"

Hikaru frowned. "No one important."

And with that, he walked away, with not another word. Ryoji watched in silence as his car drove down the tiny one-way street. He was left in silence as he looked at all of his daughters boxed up belongings. He was left with his thoughts of something very wrong, and something very upsetting.

Who was that woman? and Why was his Son-in-law with her?


	5. Chapter 5

**Picture Perfect Broken Heart**

* * *

"Is Hikaru any better?"

"...If you call, him being a total jerk, better than him sulking around depressed and angry at everyone, then yeah. I think we've progressed a little."

"I haven't seen him in a long time... Have you told him?"

"No. And I don't plan to..."

Sitting on the couch of their apartment, Kaoru Hitachiin sat beside his wife, Mokoto Hatsumori (Now Hitachiin). They were silent for a few long moments, not knowing what else to say to the other one as all their conversations recently had been revolved around Hikaru and his problems.

It wasn't as though they needed to talk about him, or had to, it was that nothing else mattered as much as he did, and the only other thing that was just as important, they didn't talk much about, simply because they didn't want anyone to know about it yet.

"I think it would just make things harder for him if he knew..." Kaoru muttered quietly, wrapping his arm around his wife's waist, pulling her closer, forcing her to lean against his side. "...He's alone, and him knowing that I'm progressing more in life when his life has just stopped... I don't want to do that to him."

Nodding in agreement, Mokoto titled her head up to look at his face, frowning at his sad expression. "...He'll find out eventually, ya' know?"

"I know... let's just give it a little more time."

"It's your choice whether you want to tell him or not, and I don't care, but... what are we giving time to?"

"...I don't know... we'll just give Haruhi a little more time."

Mokoto bit her lip, pulling her dark red hair behind her ear as she snuggled against her husband. She didn't want to seem insensitive, loving her brother in-law almost as much as he loved his twin, but she couldn't help herself...

"She's been gone this long already, and I know we're all hoping, but... I think we would need to give her more time than just another seven months to come home."

Kaoru frowned, knowing she was right. They hadn't found anything about Haruhi in the past fourteen months, so what would they be able to do in the next seven? He looked down at her stomach and sighed, holding his beloved a little closer.

She was two months pregnant, and no one knew but them. He didn't want to tell his brother, since he was going through such a hard time, and was trying to cope with his own wife being gone. Kaoru knew that His twin and Haruhi, after their first year of their marriage, were trying to conceive, so him and his wife having their first baby, was definitely going to make him more bitter somehow.

Hikaru kicking him out of his house was as bitter as Kaoru could take his brother being, he couldn't handle his twin being anymore sour towards him than he already way, so they were going to keep their baby a secret, at least for the time being, or until things become a little easier for his twin.

"...That's true." He said quietly, laying his cheek against her head, mussing her hair slightly. "Hey... you've known Hikaru for a couple years, on your point on him... do you think he'd cheat on Haruhi? I know she's gone and he's lonely, but... do you think he would?"

"I don't know." She really didn't know how to reply to that, and was hesitant on speaking. "...You're asking _me_ about _your_ brother. From the time I've known Haruhi and him, I could see that they loved each other a lot, and I don't that when they were together, that he'd do anything like that to her, but..."

"But what?" He pushed her.

"But... I don't know what he's thinking, or feeling now. Haruhi's been gone for a while and the last time I saw him, he looked completely lost, but know that he's been alone for all this time, I don't think anyone could predict what he would do."

"What do you mean?"

She sighed, leaning farther into his warmth. "All I'm saying is that, I don't think he'd turn on Haruhi, but if he finds himself attracted to another woman, I wouldn't be surprised."

Kaoru comically sweat-dropped and sighed hopelessly. "You think Hikaru's like that, huh?"

"It's not Hikaru in particular, it's men in general... You have to look at it from a man's mentality, who has literally lost his wife, and is alone. He has his owns needs, and he can't control those kinds of things. Another woman in his life would probably help him through all this..."

What his wife was saying, was gibberish, as she always made everything so complicated when explaining things, but he understood what she meant. He didn't like what she was getting at, but he couldn't do anything about it.

Mokoto blinked, turning her head to look at him again in curiosity. "...Why are you asking me something like that?"

He knew this was none of his business, and should bring his wife into the drama, but he really couldn't help himself. It was bugging him too much. A woman with dark brown hair had haunted him since he left his brothers house.

"It's just that... there's this woman," he explained, moving his hand to her tiny stomach, rubbing his fingers against her shirt. "Hikaru mentions her at work sometimes, and she was at his house that last time I went to see him..."

She smiled, laying her head against his shoulder. "Cute, at least he's making friends."

"It isn't cute," He argued, his brow tightening into a scowl. His forehead gaining odd creases. "She was so clingy towards him, and he didn't care. He acted as though it was normal. But what really bothers me is that..."

"What?"

"...She looks an awful lot like Haruhi. It's like... Hikaru's regressing so much that he's lost all common sense, and has replaced Haruhi with her... I mean, she looks so similar to her. I'm sure he's noticed it too."

"I think it's nice that you care about your brother, Kaoru, and after this whole thing, you've grown to be concerned about him in these past few months, but Hikaru is a big boy and I think he needs just a little time to himself to figure out what he wants to do about all this. Maybe this woman who looks likes his wife, is comforting him?"

"It feels wrong. I... don't like her."

"Kaoru," she scolded him, though was slightly amused. "...You don't even know her. Now you think Hikaru might be having an affair with her?"

"It's wrong, I know..." He grumbled, wrapping both his arms around her, trying to comfort himself. "Hikaru really does love Haruhi, he's told me that a lot, the time they had been together, but he's in a fragile state now and... his feelings are all jumbled up. I'm scared he's going to make some big mistake."

"Hikaru's always made mistakes, Kaoru... but being unfaithful to his wife, isn't an easy mistake you can make on accident. I think he's okay."

"...I hope so."

Mokoto looked up at him as she scooted closer to him. She stopped moving when she was sitting on his lap. She smiled, trying to change his sad expression. "I know this is hard for everyone. We'll find Haruhi soon and Hikaru'll be okay. Every things gonna be fine."

"Yeah..." Kaoru sighed, doubt clear in his throat. "...I wish I could tell Hikaru that without him getting mad."

"Maybe he's just tired of hearing it."

"What should I tell him then?" He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her down to relax against his chest. He sighed sadly and laid his chin on her shoulder. "He's gotten to be so bitter and angry. I simply suggest that he get more sleep at home and he goes ballistic. Like I've just insulted him."

"It's so frustrating too," he added, chewing on the inside of his cheek, that he rubbed against her face. "He doesn't care about Haruhi at all now. He showed no emotion at all when we were talking about her. He sounds like he's mad at her. He's still convinced that she left him for someone else. Kyouya said that he's just saying that because he doesn't want to _'face reality'_."

"That's hardly fair," Mokoto grumbled. She and Hikaru had their differences earlier in her and Kaoru's marriage, but eventually he had forgiven her for 'marrying his baby brother' and they were now like normal siblings who liked to argue. "Kyouya's engaged. Haruhi's been missing for over a year and they're picking on him for being depressed."

"What bothers me is that he's angry at Haruhi, and there's this new woman in the picture. I can't tell if he's upset and just likes to pretend Haruhi never left by replacing her with someone who looks like her, or if he's just being an ass."

Feeling his hands move to her tiny budding stomach, she closed her eyes and aid her hands gently on his own. "Don't get too upset with him. He just needs to work things out by himself. This sort of thing can really take a toll on someone."

"I forgot," a playful grin suddenly grew on his lips, which were numb from all his frowning. "My pretty little wife's a shrink and knows these things."

Mokoto scowled. "I prefer 'psychologist'."

"...Maybe... Hikaru should talk to you more often."

"You want to get your brother a therapist?"

"Isn't that what you do? Make people feel better?"

"If he doesn't want to talk about any of this with his own twin brother, what makes you think he'll talk about all this with a complete stranger? You know how he is."

"Yeah," Kaoru sighed again. "I know. I just hate him acting like this. Did I mention that two days ago he _slammed_ the door in my face and told me to _'get out'_?"

"Just tolerate it."

He smirked. "I think you've become my _own_ personal shrink."

"I charge every hour."

"I'll pay you with my body."

* * *

It was late afternoon and no sounds came from the large dinning room of Hikaru's large he bought when he and Haruhi first got married. The house wasn't as big as he would have preferred, but it was expensive and Haruhi never liked over the top things. They had maids but they would always take Sundays off.

The maids taking that day off was always a nice thing when he and his wife were together. Neither of them worked Sunday and it just left them alone all day together. Now that his wife was no longer with him. It just left him alone.

Hikaru took a deep breath as he sat at the table. It was dinner time and the maids were in the kitchen, but he wasn't in the mood to eat. He had told the maids that he just had a big lunch, but in truth he just couldn't bring himself to eat anything. He didn't know if he was hungry from not eating a very good lunch or dinner, or if he was just feeling sick.

Sitting in front of him, was a small cardboard box, the size of a average shoe box. The corners had some wear, but other then some wear and tear the box was clean. It was a box Tamaki had given him and Haruhi, (or rather he left it at his house by accident and never came back for it) and three years later he finds it in the hall closet, and had decided to bring it out to see what was inside of it. As he had forgotten over time.

He and Haruhi were married for two months when the former host club members came to the house. Tamaki brought this box he had been hording at his own house and thought they could all look through it together.

And what was in side the box, was six years worth of pictures taken from their first year of high school, to his and Haruhi's honeymoon.

It was one box he had forgotten to give to his father in-law. He wasn't going to look through the pictures, he didn't see the need to, but as he slammed the box down on the table with an unnecessarily force, a pictures slipped from the flaps of the box and fluttered to the floor.

It was on the top, so it was one of the most recent that was stuffed in there.

It was of Hikaru and Haruhi on their honeymoon. As a joke from high school he had taken her to Atami for their honeymoon, like he had threatened when they were at the Ootori's private swimming resort. They had gone to the beach on one day and he remembered a man Haruhi had asked to take a picture of them.

He also remembered almost getting into a fight with that stranger because he wouldn't stop flirting with her.

Now he sat there at the table, subconsciously staring at another one. He was half way through the box now, and was feeling terrible.

Earlier, he really thought he was finally getting over her. Now, all the pictures seemed to have taken a shovel to his deeply buried feelings and brought them back to him. Every picture he picked up make his heart break a little more.

It hurt, it made him sick, it made him want to cry. He really know why he was doing this to himself, but he couldn't pull away. He had rid the house of all of her things, her pictures, a long time ago, and seeing her face again felt good, yet still hurt.

It hurt so much. His heart was shattered, and was viciously stabbing into his gut. Making him want to puke.

The picture he had left slip from his fingers just moments ago, laid horizontally in front of him. It was of Haruhi when they were at the beach in Atami. He had (despite her protests) gotten her into a nice, slim fitting light orange Miss Selfridge laser bikini. He remembered picking it out perfectly so the over lay ruffle covered the fact that she was so flat chested.

" _This swimsuit reminds me of tuna_." She had told him as they sat on a beach towel together. "... _Now I'm hungry_."

He remembered playing with the tips of her short brown hair between his fingers. " _Heh... I used to think it was cute five second ago_."

Hikaru closed his eyes. He rested his elbows on the table and laid his forehead on the balls of his palms. Finally giving up, letting his mind wander aimlessly through his newly surfaced thoughts.

* * *

 _"Still looks like tuna..."_

 _"Then it suits you."_

 _She looked up at him, her brown eyes reflecting the evening sunshine. She grinned awkwardly and fiddled with the flowing fabric of her bikini top, her shoulder brushing his briefly. "You should buy me dinner."_

 _He threw his head back and laughed, sneaking an arm around her bare waist. "Ah, ah, it's_ our _money now._ We _buy dinner."_

 _Haruhi stared at the water, wrinkling her nose as she watched a tiny wave wash away an innocent crab that was fighting with the sand. "Doesn't matter who buy's_ _dinner." She said bluntly. "Just make sure dinner gets bought."_

 _He chuckled lightly, ducking his head down, rubbing his nose against her cheek that was freckled with sand after their sand after they had repeatedly dunked each other in the water. "Whatever you say..." he paused and said seductively. "Miss Hitachiin."_

 _She curled her nose. "Miss Hitachiin. God that sounds weird. I'm gonna have to get use to it."_

 _"I like it, it matches with mine." Hikaru gave her a toothy smile and wrapped both arms around her, pulling her closer so she sat right beside him. Their bodies glistened with salt water. "We'll name our children after us. We'd be the big 'H' family."_

 _"Children, huh?"_

 _"Yeah. Me and You make an army of little us. Children Haruhi, you know what they are, right?"_

 _Haruhi gave an un-girly snort and snuggled up to his side, running her finger tips along his hairless chest, grazing against sand that was stuck to his skin. "Shut up, I know. I just didn't think you'd what kids."_

 _"What gave you that impression?"_

 _"You just never mentioned it before..."_

 _"Why would I mention babies when we weren't even married yet? Sheesh Haru, I don't want to overwhelm myself."_

 _She made a 'hum' sound as though she was thinking and looked off at the water again, laying her head against his shoulder. "...Well, I bet they'd be cute."_

 _"Thee most adorable." He winked, kissing her cheek. "Although lets not hope they inherit your painful bluntness that can choke people. I don't think I could take a mini you telling me to go away. I wouldn't be able to take her seriously."_

 _She pursed her lips, nudging his in the ribs with her elbow. "Well lets hope our son doesn't inherit anything from you. One is enough."_

 _"I'm one of a kind." He merely nodded, ignoring that potential insult as he tilted his body, so her cheek laid against his bare upper torso when he hugged her._

 _His eyes suddenly went wide as he thought of something. He looked down at her almost in concern. "Why? Do you not want kids? I mean, ya know... we don't necessarily have to. Kaoru and Mokoto are getting married next year, I'm sure they'll have a bunch of babies, they're so openly frisky an all..."_

 _The way he talked so fast made Haruhi laugh under her breath. She entwined her fingers in his and shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me. I do want kids eventually... Now seems a bit sudden though."_

 _"Duh, how on each am I suppose to enjoy my new wife when I have crying newborns taking her away from me?"_

 _"Of course, that's what you're worried about." Not being able to keep her eyes from rolling, Haruhi relaxed against her husband of three days and felt his warm skin heat her cold body that her soaked bikini clung to. She closed her eyes to the peacefulness. The sun was setting, so they were the only ones on the beach. "I like this."_

 _He smirked. "I know, I've been working out."_

 _"Not you." She remarked, poking below his ribs. "And I know... I can tell."_

 _His face broke out in another wide grin and he nuzzled his nose into her neck. His heartbeat always grew a little faster when beside her, so much that it almost ached. He leaned into her, making them both tip sideways, and with that he gave a mischievous snicker and lunged at her completely with his whole body, causing them to fall down on to the soft towel, that was mostly covered in sand now._

 _Haruhi gasped as she hit the ground, with her husband on top of her. She laid there motionless as his hands trailed up her bare sides, touching her bikini top straps and caressing her arms. She sighed as his fingers grazed her sensitive spot at her middle._

 _"Hika..." she managed to whisper in surprise before stopped her, grasping her chin in his fingers, tilting her face up to kiss him. A wave of pure passion flooded over her so fast that she almost forgot to breath._

 _"Hikaru... St-... We're getting dirty again..." She tried to talk, but couldn't get a proper sentence in through their lips. "W-... We just got rinsed off."_

 _Kissing her tenderly on the lips, as he cupped her face, Hikaru smirked against her lips and moved his other hand behind her head, lifting her up, to kiss her more deeply. "It's fine, the days not over yet."_

 _"But-... I've already got sand ev―"_

 _Hikaru stopped her again, moving his hand from her face to her side. He snickered lightly as she grunted in discouragement. "Shh, don't ruin it."_

 _"We're still in pub-"_

 _"We're alone. No one can see."_

 _Haruhi curled her nose in disapproval. She pressed her hands to his bare chest and attempted to push him away, but he used his hand that wasn't keeping her up, to move her hand around his neck. She would have rolled her eyes if they weren't already closed, and just gave in._

 _She put a finger to his lips the second they pulled away briefly to breathe, and gently pushed his face away. She snickered and raised her eyebrow. "You're spoiled, ya know that?"_

 _He kissed her finger. "You make me this way."_

 _"You get turned on so easily."_

 _"Can't help it. I like girls in bikini's."_

 _"Well you said 'no' to the one piece, so..." She snorted as he dropped his forehead down on hers and laughed lightly. She rubbed her fingers together, playing with his bangs as he lifted himself back up and looked down at her face. His golden eyes sparkled with longing. "It's getting late. The sun's setting."_

 _"Yeah," he mumbled, using his free hand to swipe her bangs off to one side of her forehead, he looked down at her whole body beneath him and smiled again. "But we're covered in sand again. We can't go back to the hotel like this."_

 _She frowned. "Well who's fault is that?"_

 _"Yours," he sniggered, rubbing his nose against her face, kissing her cheek. "For being so pretty."_

 _He looked back down at her again, to see her blushing a little. She looked back at him and scoffed. "Yeah well... we can continue this later if you buy me dinner."_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"...Race ya' to the water?"_

* * *

Hikaru opened his eyes, only to have his gave met by the photo he had taken of her right before that. He could see the whole occasion play out in his mind. Haruhi had shoved him off of her and escaped his hold before running into the water, only to have him run after her. He had tripped over his own feet however and tackled her into the water face down by accident.

To get him back for that, she jumped on him from behind when he wasn't looking, causing him to loose balance and fall face down into the water next. This had gone on for almost another half hour before they decided to go back to the hotel. He had ordered so much food for her that night that they even had leftovers. Which Haruhi happily ate the next morning.

He looked down at the photo. She was blushing from the sudden realization that she was being photographed, and had suddenly covered her chest with her arms before he had shot it. Her hair was soft looking and dry, as it was before they had gone into the water.

She was so beautiful, and he always thought so. Did he not tell her that enough though? Did he not treasure her enough as he thought he did?

He loved her, and he always told her that; every chance he got he would tell her, so... Why?

Why did she leave him? What was her purpose? Her reason?

What did he do wrong?

No, it wasn't his fault. It was her fault. She left on her own accord, with her reason. She just wanted to leave.

The first week he thought it was just a joke. After a month, he was desperate to find her, and was making himself sick with worry. After three months the police were convinced she had just left him, and wouldn't do much else. After six months, he was dishing out hundreds of thousands of yen to private investigators and detectives. Now, he's given up, because he finally realized that what everyone was telling him, was true.

That Haruhi married him for money and after two years of living the life of luxury, left without a word.

The fact that she didn't take any of his money when she disappeared was what puzzled him and made him argue against the people who suggested it, but now he had given in. He couldn't fight it anymore.

She had made him into the person he was now, and hated. He was bitter and hateful towards everyone. Even his beloved twin, who had done nothing wrong.

It was all her fault. Everything was her fault.

Hikaru suddenly glared at the photo, as though it was it's fault he was alone and gripped it in his hands, tight enough it almost wrinkled in his grasp. He was going to rip it. But before he could do it, he looked down at her face in the picture one last time and suddenly his heart fell deep into his stomach.

He still loved her. He could never stop thinking about her. He missed her and wanted her back.

What if she never left him? What if, on her way home, she got into an accident? A car accident? and she was...

No... There was no wreck and her car was nowhere to be found either.

She had completely vanished off of the face of the earth.

Hikaru sighed and rubbed his fingers over his forehead. Just thinking about it gave him a headache. He loosened his grip on the photo that was still in his hands and tossed it back into the box. He couldn't rip it. He just... couldn't.

"...Mister Hitachiin?"

Hikaru gasped and shot up from his current sitting position and inhaled sharply from the suddenness of the voice that came from behind him. he murmured a curse word under his breath and rubbed his eyes with the ball of his hand, just then noticing that his eyes had began to water.

It was a familiar female voice of one of his maids. He asked her but didn't turn around. "... _What_?"

The maid, standing behind him, was a large woman, with big features, and was one who worked mostly in the kitchen. Her black hair was pulled back into a tight bun. She glanced down at her boss who was rubbing his face and sighed, knowing exactly what he was doing.

"Mister Hitachiin, sir," she mumbled, glancing down at the box of photo's, but didn't question it. "There's someone at the door. They're looking for you. They said to come right away."

He grimaced. "Whoever it is, tell them to go away. I'm not in the mood for company."

 _You're never in the mood for company..._ "But sir," she bit her lip, looking Of her own at one particular photo. Of her boss and his wife. They were kissing, Haruhi was blushing, so you could tell that the kiss wasn't planned. "They uh-... I don't think they'll take no for an answer."

"I don't care." He grumbled, standing up from his seat. he grabbed and stuffed all of the photo's that had fallen out, back into the box with an angry scramble. "They're just going to have to deal with it. Don't they ever just want to leave me alone?"

"...It's uh... not them, sir."

Hikaru clutched the box in his hands tightly, so tight his knuckles were turning white. "If it's my parents tell them I'm out."

"...It's the police, sir. They want you to come out this moment."

That made Hikaru stop all movement. He dropped the box back down on the table. He closed his eyes and stared into darkness for a few pregnant seconds. Taking a deep breath he said gently. "Great, what do _they_ want?"

"...They didn't say."

Cursing, Hikaru rolling his eyes to how bothersome everyone was and wondered why he couldn't just be left alone. "Damn it, they never have anything to say that's worth listening to. They're just a waste of my time."

The maid didn't reply to that, as she was sure he was just talking to himself again and politely bowed her head as he walked passed her to the main hall of the house. After he had passed, she stood up straight and shook her head, only to glance at the box of pictures that were on the table. Wondering why her boss had decided to torture himself again with _her_ memory.

Hikaru stuffed his hands into this pockets as he made his way to the door. He clenched his hand into a fist inside his shirt and listened to his rhythmic, echoing footsteps against the tile. Only stopping when he reached the door. Which he instantly swung open the second he gripped the doorknob.

He was faced with two police officers, who glared at him with their dark solemn eyes.

He had seem that look far too many times to be intimidated and merely shrugged it off. "What?" Is what he said in greetings. "I can't be the only one you guys have to bother. I'm not in the mood to listen to this today."

Many times police have come to his house many times, far too many times, since Haruhi had gone missing. Nothing they would ever say was of interest to him, and to him it was just excuses as to why they hadn't found her.

"Mister Hitachiin," the officer on the left said coldly, his thumbs stuck into his pant pockets. "Come with us, please."

Hikaru glared. "What for? You-"

"Don't be alarmed, Mister Hitachiin," the officer on the right spoke next, in a more smooth tone. "You're wanted at the station."

"As if-"

"You're under arrest for the suspicion of being a suspect in your wife's disappearance."


	6. Chapter 6

**Accuse**

* * *

"Where were you on that evening?"

"..."

"You know it would be easier if you're cooperate. Just answer my questions."

"..."

"Mr Hitachiin, this behavior isn't working well against your case. I know this was sudden, but all you have to do is answer me. You don't have to worry about being arrested unless you actually did anything."

"..."

The police officer that was sitting in front of Hikaru sighed. He had been sitting with him for over half an hour now, interrogating him, trying to get him to say something, but no words had left his mouth since they had sat down.

He argued at first, after they had accused him of being apart of the disappearance of his wife, or being the main reason or that matter. They were so convinced that he had done something, they had handcuffed him and put him in the back of their car while going to the station. Fortunately however, because of his social standings the press weren't going to get a hold of any of this information.

Hikaru sat in the chair at the small metal table across from the interrogator. His arms were crossed over his chest and he leaned back in his seat, with his ankles overlapped. He hadn't said a word to the man since being put in that room, and he remained emotionless for the past half hour, as he was asked questions.

It had been over a year since Haruhi mysteriously went missing, and they just now decided to ask him this? She has only been missing for a year and they automatically think she's dead and he killed her?

He clenched his fist against his chest as he stared down at the table. His orange bangs shadowed his eyes. Did they really need to bother him with this? did they have nothing better to do than to accuse him of murdering his wife?

What would he gain from that? Before she left he loved her. He loved her so much that it hurt, why would he...?

A discomforting image entered his mind and made his blood boil. His short nails dug into his palm. He just wanted to go home. Hadn't he been through just enough? did they have to make it worse by accusing him he was the one who had done this?

He wanted to scream in the officer's face, yell and scream that he had just about enough of the police prying into his business. They have one job and that was to find his wife, but they hadn't done that, and instead, they wanted to blame him.

As if the officer could read his thoughts, he spoke again. "...Was it for the life insurance?"

Hikaru twitched, still not budging.

"You know, not talking is just making you all the more suspicious."

Still no answer.

"You're making this fairly difficult."

" _I'm_ difficult?" Hikaru spoke, still staring at the table. "Why don't you do your job for once? Honestly, what makes you think I did anything?"

"No one." The officer assured in a sigh, almost thankful that he finally got something out of the man. " _Suspicion._ At this point in time everyone in the whole country is a suspect. The world even."

"So interrogate one of them. You're wasting your time and mine."

"You know, you're only growing more suspicious the ore you refuse to answer any questions."

"Waste of breath. If I answer, you'll only ask more. What's the point?"

The officer took a deep breath, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He could hear the irritation in Hikaru's voice, and very much resisted in holding him at knife point just to get him to say something. "It's simply protocol. Your wife's disappearance has become a cold case. At this point we're not looking for a live body anymore."

"She's Not dead."

"We don't know that."

"Of course you wouldn't know that, you're not looking."

"Mr. Hitachiin, you wife has been gone for over a year and there is literally no sign of her. There's _nothing_. And there isn't much we can do about it. Japan has practically been turned upside down looking for her. What do you think? If any other possibility, wouldn't you think we'd come across her by now?"

"You're just not looking hard enough." Hikaru huffed, he had threw himself into his chair. His arms still folded over. "And you haven't turned Japan upside down, because you still don't know where she is."

"There's nothing else we can do now. She-"

" _She_ has a name."

The officer closed his eyes again, sitting back in his own seat. He could almost feel the room become stiffer as they both became silent again. The air was so thick, he could almost feel himself suffocating.

"Mister Hitachiin," he muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "We really have done everything. The only reason you're here is because you've been acting a little suspicious with this whole situation. Mister Ootori was only concerned."

Hikaru could feel his heart drop into the pit of his stomach. He clenched his hand into a fist and stared at the metal table with wide eyes. "Wait... Kyouya thinks I..."

"He didn't say anything directly, but he did mention that you've been acting strangely." The private officer looked up at him. His black eyes dark and mysterious. "Moving all your wife's stuff from your house, hanging around other females... You're taking her loss exceptionally well. Do you want to say something about that?"

"...That's none of your business."

"I'm the police, Mister Hitachiin. Everything is my business."

"Fine," Hikaru managed, though his clenched jaw. His hand in a tight fist inside the pocket of his hoodie. "You want to know. For your information I haven't been hanging around random women. And me moving my wife's things out of our house isn't something you need to know. If you think I murdered my wife, I _didn't_. If I did, would I have spent hundreds of thousands on private investigators and detective on the last year? who - might I add - don't do a damn thing."

"I also have record that you've stopped all personal investigation."

"I'd have a better chance at finding her myself then those lazy asses you call _detectives_." Hikaru stood up from his chair, placing his hands on the table, looking at the officer in front of, directly in the eyes. "If you've looked into it, Haruhi and her car, or anything she had on her hasn't been found. She's gone over her data on her phone multiple times says her phone bill that still gets paid. I've called her, but it just goes to voicemail every single time, so she's the one who's been avoiding my phone calls."

"It's either she has her phone or someone else does," he added. His golden eyes turning darker the longer he spoke. "She might have been robbed, killed, and dumped somewhere. She might be with someone else and has been happily ignoring me. She might not be with anyone. But I had nothing to do with any of it."

"Arresting me was just a big waste of all of our time." It was just then that Hikaru realized how close their faces were to each other as they both stood with their hands on the table. They were so close they could almost feel the other one's breath. "Haruhi's the most important person in my life, and her being dead better be the only reason why you haven't found her yet."

"It's always the spouse."

"Well it isn't this time."

"Knock, knock!"

The officer opened his mouth, but he was interrupted by someone who stood in the doorway of the room. He stood up straight from slouching over the table and looked at the intruder. To his utmost confusion, it was only who looked nearly identical to the man he was accusing.

He glared, looking towards the officer who had been sitting in the corner. "Get him out of here, he's not allowed in here."

"On the contrary," Kaoru tisked, with a finger. He beamed at the Ootori's police officers and winked. "I've been given permission to take my brother home. Are you being mean to him?"

"You cannot just walk in here," the officer hissed. "We're not done, I'll call security."

Kaoru's grin grew wider. "Security is what brought me in here. See... I got a little lost."

The officer gripped the hem of his uniform and straightened it out. He glared at the Hitachiin who had suddenly just appeared, then casted his gaze towards Hikaru, who had just been standing there dumbfounded that his brother just appeared without him noticing.

Hikaru glared at his brother. "Kaoru..."

"Hey, Hikaru." Kaoru waved his two fingers, his grin fading into a firm expression, as he turned back to the man I the uniform, who had apparently been keeping his brother captive against his will. "We'll be leaving then. It's almost dinner, and I'm famished."

"He's not leaving yet," the man behind the table said firmly, glaring even harder at him. "He's under firm investigation. Leave before you join him."

"Your boss gave me firm permission to come and get him," Kaoru glared back at him, sticking his nose up. "He called me and said you had him here without his consent. He told me I could come and get him. You know, since you kind of arrested him from his house, and he doesn't have a car."

"I mean," he held his hands up. "Unless you were going to have him escorted."

Hikaru rolled his eyes.

The officer sighed, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "Get out. I don't care what mister Ootori says, we're doing our job. You can go wait in the lobby."

"Well I heard this is against protocol. Arresting innocent people seems a little douchebag'ish doesn't it?"

"... _Get out_."

"Has my brother been giving you a hard time? You seem grumpy."

"This is ridiculous," he sighed, glaring as his hands were firm on the table. "Leave before I handcuff you to that chair in the corner and interrogate you next. We're almost through."

Kaoru threw his head back and didn't even try to suppress a dramatic sign. "Interrogate me? for what?" Amusement was clear in his throat. "You think I had something to do with this? Now you're just pointing fingers. Haruhi's not dead, she's missing, why don't you go back to trying to find her? instead of harassing my brother who hasn't done anything wrong."

"You don't know if he hasn't done anything wrong, do you? You can't be positive."

"That's true, I do have my own life and can't keep tabs on him twenty-four seven, but I know that I wouldn't have to worry about him doing something like that," Kaoru said. "And I think I'd know my brother better than you, wouldn't I?"

"Regardless that you know him better or not, that can never predict things." The officer was growing irritated. "He was one of the last people to see her alive that day, when she left for work."

"Ooh, I suppose so, huh?" Kaoru resisted the urge to roll his eyes and stuck his arms out to the police officer. "Arrest me than, cause I saw Haruhi the day before. In fact, why don't you go ahead and arrest us all? We had a friendly gathering that day. It could have been any one of us."

"It doesn't work that way."

"Come again?"

"Kaoru," Hikaru finally spoke up. His voice was low and aggressive. He stood on the sidelines, listening to them talk as thought he wasn't there. "Do what he says. This doesn't have anything to do with you."

"Ignore him," Kaoru flapped his wrist towards his brother, indicating that he was innocently telling him to butt out. "He's just bitter that he got arrested for something he didn't do, and that you guys won't fucking do your jobs. But hey, he said that not me."

"Fine, I give up," The officer sighed, holding his hands up in defeat. "It's pointless to argue with you. I have work to do. Just leave."

"Will do," Kaoru smiled, turning to his brother. "Well come on Hika, I'm your chauffeur."

Hikaru glared, shaking his head as he stuck his hands into his pockets again, making his way to the doorway of the room. After he passed his brother, Kaoru happily turned to follow him, spinning on his heel.

Kaoru fought back the urge to stick his tongue out at the officer before he turned around, but that would have been meaningless, as their argument was dust under the rug now, and merely folded his arms behind his head comfortably as he walked away.

Unfortunately, before he could catch up with his brother, who was already down the hall, the officer called out to Kaoru and he stopped, turning around.

"You know," he muttered, catching the twenty-five year olds attention. "I heard you're also married."

He frowned. " You've heard Right. _Why_?"

"It would be better that you keep a better eye on your wife then. We wouldn't want this to happen a second time."

Kaoru smirked. "My family isn't your concern. Just worry about Haruhi, and leave my brother alone."

And with that, Kaoru twiddled his fingers at the police man walked way, trotting after his twin.

* * *

"I'm buying."

"And I'm not eating."

Kaoru cursed all humanity as he slumped over the table they sat at.

Hikaru," he folded his arms on the table and laid his chin down. "It's past dinner. Don't tell me you had a big lunch and you're not hungry."

"I'm not hungry."

"Well I am, and if you don't order at least one thing, I will order you something for you and will shovel it into your mouth. And I can't guarantee it will taste good."

Hikaru looked at his little brother, they stared at each other for a few seconds before his expression turned into a hard scowl. "Fine, but you're not buying. Don't treat me like I don't know how to take care of myself."

"It's not that. I want to! You don't have to pay me back either."

"It's okay, Kaoru. I don't feel like eating that much anyway."

"I swear, if you order an appetizer and barely touch it, I will knock you out, and feed you through a feeding tube."

"I feel too sick to eat."

Kaoru glared. They sat there in silence though after a few seconds of watching his brother fiddle with his phone, he tightened his jaw and pressed his hand to his forehead, making Hikaru flinch.

"You're not hot, you don't have a fever, you're not sick." He said firmly in one breath, musing his brothers bangs in his fingers. "Only I can fake sick and get away with it. Now eat."

"We haven't ordered."

"Eat the table."

Hikaru didn't reply to that, and just stared at his phone. He had his old messages pulled up, and he couldn't stop looking at them, staring at each one for longer then he should have. Getting arrested didn't exactly leave him in the best mood. And being accused of murdering his wife didn't help.

He looked down at the message he was looking at again. It was from over a year and a half ago, but as he only texted a handful of people, it wasn't hard to find.

 **From himself:** but you don't know! You have to come home and try it on.

 **From Haruhi:** Hikaru, stop texting me at work. I'm busy.

 **From himself:** you can't be that busy! It's lunch!

 **From Haruhi:** I'm working through lunch.

From himself: you can't work through lunch! Haru! I'll come over and bring you a bento box! The maids will cook it so don't worry about the kitchen getting lit on fire.

 **From Haruhi:** don't worry about it Hika. I'll call you when I'm ready to leave. Love you.

 **From himself:** ...I love you! Wait! Aren't I more important then work! I should be!

He didn't get a reply until three hours after.

 **From Haruhi:** I'm on my way home, but I have to stop at the store. I need things.

 **From himself:** What kind of things?

 **From Haruhi:** Things Hikaru. Don't ask questions.

 **From himself:** Fine, don't include your husband in your life, it's fine... I'm not hurt. Don't get stuck in traffic on your way home. I've got a surprise for you!

 **From Haruhi:** no thanks.

 **From himself:** you don't even know what it is yet!

 **From Haruhi:** I'll be there around four Hika, I l-

Before Hikaru could continue reading the message, his phone was snatched from him hand. He stared at his now empty Palm and felt his heart twinge. No matter how many times he'd look through his and his wife's old messages to each other, he couldn't stop looking through them. Despite the date on the messages dating back to almost two years ago, he felt comforted just seeing her name on his phone. Seeing what she had said to him, he could almost place her voice, saying every word in that lazy drone of hers.

He glared, tightening his hand into a fist as he looked to his left. Where he watched his brother put his phone in his pocket.

"Give that back."

"Sorry, no phones are allowed at the table."

He glared harder, looking at his brothers hand. He raised his eyebrow as he noticed that he was on his phone.

 _Hypocrite..._

Kaoru had slipped his brothers phone on his pocket after he had seen that his twin was sulking over old text messages from his wife. He decided to confiscate as he saw the grief in his eyes.

He was looking off to the side when he felt his own phone leave his hand. He whirled his head around and watched his brother pocket it into his hoodie. He frowned and wiggled his finger to get it back.

"Hey, that's my-"

"No phones at the table."

"...I just meant your phone."

"No _phones_ at the table."

Kaoru looked at him. But his face was averted to the darkly polished table. He didn't need to be his twin to know he was thinking about Haruhi just then. He didn't know what to say to that comment, so he just sat there. "...Hika?"

Hikaru didn't look at him. " _What_?"

He sighed. "You can't... I'm not saying that I want you to get over this, I know that's practically impossible, but you can't keep doing this to yourself. Look at you, you're decaying."

"Leave me alone, Kaoru."

"But you are!" Kaoru gasped, slumping over the table, laying his face on his arm, facing his twin. His tone softened as he watched him. "Stop blaming yourself, this isn't your fault, and you didn't do anything to chase Haruhi away. I don't know what happened, but if you're upset about Haruhi leaving you, stop blaming her for it. You don't know if that's true."

"What do you want me to believe then?" Hikaru finally looked. His eyes full of so much deep emotion, that Kaoru couldn't even place. "That she's dead, and all never see her again? You, and everyone else keeps telling me the same god damn thing. It's easier said then done so stop talking like you know how I feel."

"You're right... I don't know how you feel, but I know how I feel. And I wish you'd stop blaming everyone around you." Kaoru said firmly, looking back at him, but Hikaru had looked away again, as he watched a brunette waitress serve the people beside them. "Yeah, getting arrested and being blamed by a couple officers isn't going to do any good with your problem. You're still a suspect in their book, but we all know you didn't do anything. Nothings your fault, and it's not Haruhi's fault either."

"She's loved you, Hikaru, she wouldn't just up and leave you, and deep down you know that too." He added with a stiff tone. "I've seen the last thing she's said to you. If she was going to leave you, why would she tell you that she was on her way home?"

"To piss me off."

"You didn't do anything wrong, at least not that I know of, so what would make her want to leave? And if it was just you, why would she ignore everyone else, and her father? Ranka hasn't heard a thing from her in over a year either."

"If she stayed in contact with anyone, she knew I'd try to bring her back. Or maybe she just hates us all. _I don't know_."

Kaoru looked back down, listening to the rambling background noise of all the other people having their own conversations. "You sound like you're mad at her.

"I am mad at her."

"If you're so mad at her, why do you miss her?"

"..."

"...Do you still love her?"

Before Hikaru could reply to that, the waitress walked up to them, ending the conversation.

* * *

While at the café, they had ordered food, and Hikaru ate everything and a double serving (much to Kaoru's amusement). They had sat there longer then they had meant to, before and after they ate, but Kaoru didn't care. He was just glad his brother was at least talking to him. Even if their conversations mostly involved him talking and Hikaru replying to everything he said with a one word sentence.

Now it was nearing ten thirty, and since Kaoru was Hikaru's ride home, he decided to just take him to his and Mokoto's apartment. He knew it would be too dark to even try to walk to his own house (if he was desperate enough to get away from them to walk five miles), and too late to call a cab. Mentally forcing Hikaru to spend the night.

Though the whole time they were driving, Hikaru still didn't answer his question.

Stepping through the door of his apartment, with his older brother following him, Kaoru puckered his lips out as he threw his bag on the floor near the door, scouting what he could see of his apartment, with his eyes, looking for his wife.

" _Pick that up_."

Both boys froze at the doorway.

"Moko," Kaoru muttered happily, looking over at the large living area where he saw her sitting upright in one of the plush reclining chairs. "There you are, why was the light off-"

" _Pick_ that up." Mokoto repeated firmly. Her legs were crossed securely as she held a mug of steaming coffee in her hand, her other arm wrapped around her still small stomach. "Put it in the closet where it belongs."

Kaoru stared at her, but as he caught her glare he slowly picked it up and did what he was told.

Hikaru raised his brow.

"Anyway..." he muttered, closing the closet door. Her gave never leaving him. "Moko, you know you're not supposed to drink coffee so late at night, it's not good for-"

"I'm going to drink coffee, if my husband refuses to come home earlier than midnight," she said, still glaring. "Who the hell do you think you are? It's eleven at night and you think you can just stroll right on in?"

"... _Uh_."

"Where have you been? and what were you doing that was so important that you couldn't even message me and tell me you were going to be late?" She continued, taking advantage of his silence. "You leave at five telling me telling me you're going to the police station, leaving without telling me why, and you're gone for _six hours_."

"Um..." Kaoru stuttered, glancing at his brother for help. "I uh..."

" _Six hours_ , Kaoru. Not one phone call, or text message." She gripped her coffee mug tighter. She could practically see her husband cracking like glass as she spoke. "You leave to go to the police station, gone for six hours. And it's nearly midnight. You don't think I worry do you?"

"...I'm... I'm sorry, Mo-"

"Don't call me _Moko_."

"Sorry... You usually like it."

"Well I don't like you right now, so I'm not going to like what you say."

"...I love you?"

"No."

Kaoru twitched, glancing at his brother again, as he bit his lip. He gave him the eye but Hikaru shook his head and leaned against the door, not wanting to intervene. His brother was the reason why he wasn't at him own home.

"See, darling, I went to the police station because Hikaru kind of got arrested and-"

"I don't care if you _grandmother_ got arrested. You should have called."

"I know... I'm sorry, really, really. I'll never do it again."

She turned to glare at him, again, her hard facial expression not changing. "I'm still mad at you."

Kaoru pouted. "I'm really, _really_ sorry."

"You can beg on your knees for forgiveness all you want. You're still in trouble."

"..."

Hikaru bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to laugh. He hadn't smiled in a long time.

Kaoru glanced at both of them, rubbing his fingers awkwardly inside the pocket of his jacket. "...I'm sorry, mokoto, it slipped my mind. I promise to call next time. I wont forget."

"Well it's kind of late now, isn't it Sherlock?"

"Yes it is."

Mokoto glared at him as he made his way over to her. She didn't move an inch as he lent down to kiss her cheek. "I'm very sorry. Forgive me?" He muttered next to her face, with his bottom lip stuck out in a sulk. "Anger is bad for the soul... I love you."

"This isn't funny."

"I don't think it's funny! Honest. I really just forgot. I'll never do this again. From now on, I'll send you a message every fifteen minutes. You'll get sick of me, I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die."

She scowled, grabbing the collar of his jacket, pulling his face down so close to hers that their noses were inches apart. She placed her cup safely on the table next to her and pointed to the door. "Go to the kitchen, eat the dinner I made you, like it, and then we'll talk about this later." She looked at the table and grabbed a file. "And take this with you, you can look at _that_ while you're in the kitchen."

Kaoru held the file in his hand as she slammed it into his chest. She looked at it for a few seconds, looking at his brother a few times, then back at the file, then at his very upset wife. Then it suddenly clicked.

"Oh my god." He made a face, biting the side of his lip again. "This it the... the thing, isn't it? the ultra... two month... thing."

"It is."

"...And I was _not_ there for that."

"You left at four-fifty, I thought you'd be back before six." Mokoto didn't look at him, as he placed her lips against the rim of her cup. "We were suppose to _leave_ at six. I thought you'd be responsible enough to remember that, that was today."

"I'm a lot more sorry than I was earlier." He sighed, looking back down at the file before slowly rolling his eyes back up to her. "I remembered, I swear! I knew it was today. I just forgot with all the things that happened to day, and... and. I'm so sorry, babe, I... uh-"

"Kitchen. _Now_."

He shuddered. "Yes ma'am."

She turned to Hikaru. "You too."

Hikaru looked u from the floor (to which he was staring a hole into) and raised his eyebrow. "Why do _I_ have to-?"

" _Kitchen_."

With that, the brothers floated off to the kitchen without another word.


	7. Chapter 7

**I Hold On**

* * *

"...He looks like a baby."

"Yep, _fed_ , put to _sleep_. Just like a baby."

"He looks so tired. It's sad."

"Honestly, he does it to himself." Kaoru sighed, standing behind his wife, with his face hovering right over her shoulder as he hunched over the back of the couch. He looked down at his sleeping brother who laid out on the couch with her, with his head on her lap.

"He's so stubborn it's annoying." He added, watching Mokoto run her hand through his twin's messy hair. " _Kagami_ does _everything_ , though of course making sure he sleeps isn't one of her main priorities." He muttered a curse word.

"Don't be mean," Mokoto scolded, frowning as she played with Hikaru's bangs. She was silent for a while as she watched his chest rise and fall as he breathed. "No wonder why he's always so angry. He never sleeps."

"Is that pure wisdom from Mokoto Hitachiin, Japan's wisest psychologist?"

"It's pure fact. Maybe if he got a full night's sleep every night, he wouldn't get so irritated so easily. I say 'hi the sky is blue' and he turns all twitchy." She sighed. "The moment he got comfy he fell asleep. Poor guy."

" _Again_ , he is the one keeping himself up all night."

Mokoto's frown deepened. "Well if you went missing, and have been missing for longer than a year, I wouldn't sleep all that well either."

"Aw," Kaoru cooed, rubbing his nose into the crook of her neck. "I love you too."

"Don't get so cuddly, I'm still mad at you."

"...I said I was sorry, I really didn't mean to forget the scan. I wont forget again! I'll go to all he other ones with you, I promise."

"I swear to god Kaoru, do that again and I'll leave you for my nice receptionist. At least he's there for my appointments."

"...Job appointments aren't the same thing as baby appointments."

"Still more then what you did."

"That's not fair, I just forgot." Kaoru pursed his lips and laid his chin on her shoulder, playing with her long dark hair that curled around the cushion. "What could I do to make it up to you? I'll humbly do anything."

She sighed, laying her head against his, still playing with her brother-in-law's messed up hair. "Never mind. The appointment wasn't all that important anyway. It would have been a little awkward to have you there anyway, they made me take my shirt off."

He made a face. "...That was a... female doctor right?"

"Midwife."

"Ah. Good."

"Shut up, you've never cared about that before. Hikaru was always the one like that. It's annoying."

"I'm your husband darling, I can only be concerned. Hikaru was-... _is_ particular on that topic. No one wants men around their women, period. It isn't just us."

Mokoto ignored that and shook her head. Looking back down at Hikaru, she moved her hand from his hair to his cheek as if to try and rub the exhaustion off his face. The purple around his eyes made her sad.

"It isn't fair," she murmured, catching her husband's attention as he rub his nose against her cheek. "He's a good husband to Haruhi isn't he? What did he do to deserve this? He's so... sad all the time. I don't like it."

"I dunno, none of us like it, but nothing we do is going to make him feel better," Kaoru explained looking at his brother with sympathy. "He's only going to get better when Haruhi comes back. He's angry though because he's convinced she left him for someone else.

"But Haruhi wouldn't leave him," she scowled, feeling his hands on her shoulders. "They were... planning things, they were going to have a baby and everything was going to be perfect for them. She was happy, we used to talk all the time."

"I don't think she'd do that either, they acted like newlyweds when she went missing. I don't understand what she was thinking. "He sighed and saw his brother's face twitch. "I'd really hate to say this, but... being dead should really be the only reason why we can' find her. If she really did leave my brother I'm not sure if I could be friends with her anymore."

Mokoto only nodded. "I'd hate to know what happened to her. She's been gone for over a year and there's no sign, literally no sign of her anywhere. If we've gone this far without finding anything she might really be..."

"What Kyouya keeps telling Hikaru, not that he likes it, is that he needs to think the worse, so maybe it wont end up that way." He said. "He wants to think the worse, but he still loves her a lot, and her leaving him is a lot less hurtful than thinking she has no chance of coming back."

"Well he shouldn't think that of her if he doesn't that for sure, she's still his wife and that's just wrong. I don't care if he doesn't want to think anything else, it's not right. Haruhi doesn't deserve that."

"...You don't now that she didn't though, Moko."

"I don't care if she did or didn't, he doesn't know, and shouldn't think that. He wouldn't like it either if he was dead and Haruhi just thought that he was with another woman." She looked up at Kaoru. "If you did that, it'd piss me off."

Kaoru just looked at her. "...Yeah, but Hikaru isn't like that. He might not even think that. He might just say it to make him feel better. We don't know how he feels inside."

"Well now I'm mad at him."

He stroked her hair. "Well you don't have to worry about it anyway, I don't want you to stress out over something that you're not apart of. It gonna be okay."

"Oh my god, you're right, he has been hanging around that other girl too is what you said, what if he's-"

"I'm not one to judge someone I've only been in the same room with for less than twenty minutes..." he said in agreement, pausing briefly. "But she does seem a little clingy to him. What bothers me is that she looks so damn similar to Haruhi. Do you think he did that on purpose?"

"It's kind of hard to find someone who looks like someone else, If he doesn't like the fact that Haruhi's gone, than he wouldn't be practically living with anyone who looks like her. It's kind of creepy."

"She doesn't look anything like, Haruhi."

Both Kaoru and Mokoto froze, they held their breath as they looked down at her lap, and saw that Hikaru was laying there, glaring at them. Mokoto silently swallowed and moved her hands away from his hair.

Kaoru bit his lip, standing up straight. "Hika-"

Hikaru looked up at them both, aside from his irritated eyes, he was emotionless. "She doesn't mean anything to me. If Haruhi doesn't want to come back that's not my fault, and it isn't Kagari's either, she hasn't done or said anything to you, so don't be so damn critical when you've only said one word to her."

Kaoru looked at his brother and watched as he sat up straight, lifting his head off his wife's lap. he backed away a little from the couch. "Look, Hikaru, I didn't mean anything by it, we were just talking."

"Well it isn't your business to talk about it, it doesn't concern you."

He frowned, watching his brother straighten his shirt. "We thought you were asleep."

Mokoto chewed on her cheek, glancing down at her stomach "How much did you hear?"

"Enough," Hikaru huffed in reply, taking his gaze away from his sister-in-law, to glare at his brother. "Why did you let me sleep for so long? It's already morning."

Kaoru glanced over at one of the windows. Sunlight brought in a bright yellow into the large living area. He rolled his eyes. "Sorry for letting you sleep through the night. It'll never happen again."

"I didn't want to stay over the night."

"But you did."

"You looked so peaceful," Mokoto muttered awkwardly, trying to loosen the sudden tension. "And you fell asleep on my lap. I didn't want to wake you up, you looked comfortable."

Hikaru turned and glared at her next, but caught her sympathetic look and just turned around, heading for the door as he adjusted his hair. "Whatever."

Kaoru followed him before stopping halfway. He tightened his lips into a straight line and cursed himself. "Where are you going? We have work today, we could just go together, We'll take my car. I'll even drop you off at home on our way back if... you want."

"What makes you think I want to be around you anymore?" Hikaru grumbled, turning back around, watching his twin's expression. "I didn't ask to come to your house, yet you make me here anyway, and you just criticize me and insult the only person who actually gives a damn.

"She's touchy and tried to fit in places she doesn't belong," he added. "But she's hell of a lot more supportive than any of you are now. She doesn't sit there all day long and tell me its okay and to get over it."

Kaoru's mouth gaped open, not believing what he was hearing. He didn't give a damn? "No one even said that, Hikaru. And you just think that because you refuse any support when we try.

"You've all just got one thing to say anyway," Hikaru figured, his voice hissed through his clenched teeth. "Yeah, I don't really know what happened to her, and I shouldn't just to conclusions, but I'm not the one who's been missing for fourteen months. She really hasn't given me any other option."

Kaoru slanted his eyes, ignoring the cautious look his wife was casting him. "I know, but you shouldn't just think that she left you for someone else, does that really sound like Haruhi?"

"What? like you're accusing Kagami of having relations with me? Does that sound like her? Oh wait, I forgot... You don't even know her. Never mind then."

"You're still married to Haruhi, whether she's done anything or not, you shouldn't be around her anyway, you'll give her the wrong idea."

"She hasn't done anything. Why are you for hateful towards her?"

"Why are you defending her?"

Hikaru looked at his little brother for a few more moments before tisking outwards and turning on his heel. Only to grab the doorknob. "Forget it. I don't have to listen this."

"Walking away again?" Kaoru groused, waving his hand towards Mokoto after she stood up, silently telling her to sit back down. "Are you always going to just run away when things get too complicated for you? You want to be right all the time. You don't want to accept any other opinion but your own. _R_ _eality_ just isn't in your vocabulary, is it?"

Hikaru stared at him, and for a little while, he lost his irritated scowl. He clenched his hand into a fist at his side and looked down at the floor, closing his eyes transiently. He didn't want to look at him. out of all people. Kaoru decided to be that one person, that one person to offend him most.

He looked up from the floor and turned around. He heard Mokoto say something he didn't say attention to her. He swung the door open (more than he needed to) but he stopped in the doorway. His shoulders trembled in hidden rage and he looked at his brother one more time.

"Screw you, Kaoru."

He looked away again, slammed the door and left. Leaving his brother and Mokoto to just sit there in silence in his wake.

She sighed and looked at her husband. "...Did you have to upset him?"

Kaoru sighed, running his hand through his bangs. "He just irritates me sometimes. He doesn't think I care, and I-... I just..."

Mokoto sat back into the couch and laid her hand on her still flat stomach. "Go after him then."

"...I'll let him cool off a bit. I'll apologize to him at work."

"...He doesn't have a ride. He might not go to work."

"No, he might not."

* * *

"Welcome home, Mister Hitachiin."

"Hmm."

"Everyone was worried after the police came yesterday, and you didn't come home. I hope you got here alright."

"Fine."

"Lunch is being made, sir, It should be done by the time you get out of the shower, if... you'd like one."

"In a minute."

A maid fluttered around Hikaru as he stepped through the doorway of his large house. He handed his coat to the garrulous elderly maid and causally walked past her. Not intending to say another word to her, until she spoke up again.

"Miss Shimizu is in the kitchen, she insisted that she make the food today," the maid said with a grimace of displeasure. "She got here this morning before breakfast, and wasn't very happy when she found out that you weren't here last night."

Hikaru raised his eyebrow as he unbuttoned the top buttons of his under shirt. It was a little chilly outside, but inside it was near blazing. He'd have to remember to tell the maids to turn the heat down.

"Why would she be upset?" He muttered. "It's not like she's my mother."

"I don't know, I guess she just wanted to see you."

He shrugged. "Whatever, I'm not in the mood to fight her away or anything."

She looked at him, after putting his coat in the closet. "Since when are you ever in the mood to do anything anymore?"

"...That's true."

The maid stared at her boss for a few more moments before nodding and walking away to tend to whatever needed to be cleaned upstairs. "If you need anything Mister Hitachiin." She muttered before walking out of his sight.

He casted his attention to another maid who was walking around the corner from the kitchen area. he frowned in confusion at all the dirty towels she was holding, that seemed to have odd stains on them.

He shook his head and made his way to the long half spiral staircase. He had no physical energy to do anything else but sleep, but as he was already late for work, (not that he wanted to go) and still needed a shower, he couldn't collapse into bed and surrender his thoughts to sleep.

It was barely even lunch and the day had started off terrible. He was tired, and laid down on the couch. Wanting to sleep for only a few minutes. Though his brother had let him sleep the whole night. Though that wasn't what irritated him. What irritated him was that he had gotten into another argument with his baby brother, and he didn't mean to.

Over the past year, he had said some hurtful things to a lot of people he loved, but he had said a majority of those things to his twin. He didn't mean to, and didn't mean half the things he'd say. His brother didn't deserve that.

It was her fault. If she hadn't have left, he wouldn't be this way. He wouldn't be so bitter and confused. He wouldn't hate his own existence. it was all her fault that this all happened. She couldn't have just left, and said whatever it was that was wrong, straight to his face. She had to make him look like a fool for months while he looked all over the country for her.

She didn't deserve that. it was all special treatment that she didn't deserve, and because he had given her so much of his time while not even being there, he couldn't given any to the people who hadn't left him, because he was too sullen to care anymore.

She made him into a person he hated.

It was all her fault.

And he hated her for it.

Hikaru froze, sun in his thoughts he laid his hand on the doorknob to his bedroom. He hadn't thought of things that way before. _He hated her?_ Did he really? or was he just upset with her?

He couldn't hate Haruhi, he... loved her.

He still loved her.

But he hated her.

How?

They had started dating just as they started college, they had a rough start and would be on and off as a couple, but eventually after five years of those awkward young adult years, they got married after her birthday when they were both twenty-three.

They life was ordinary and like every other young married life. They'd bicker about everything almost constantly, barely agreed on anything, they were two completely different people from two different worlds. They weren't ecatly meant for each other, but he married her because he loved her.

He stepped out of all his clothes until he was bare and got into the shower. He let the water heat up from cold to steaming while standing under it. Feeling the hot white water run off him and make his skin pink.

He married her because he loved her, but what did she marry him for? What was it for exactly? His money? The security? Or was it just because she liked the luxury of everything? Was that way she was always hesitant and unimpressed with everything he showered her with? Did she not want to raise any suspicion that she was interested in it?

She never loved him at all did she? She went out with him because he had money and she secretly liked to be pampered. She finally had enough in a marriage where she didn't feel actual true love, and left for someone who she could love.

Hikaru clenched his hand and laid his fist against the tiled wall of the shower. His chest hurt, his head hurt, his stomach hurt. Everything hurt.

His own marriage he was being used and he had no idea.

He never could tell, there was no way he could have figured it out.

His wife was a splendid liar.

* * *

 _She sat on top of him, completely bare, covering her chest with one arm, while burying her other hand in his flaming red hair, that was mussed from the roots down. She kissed him on the lips but then traveled around his upper lip, moving down his cheek, to kiss his neck._

 _"Mmm, that feels good."_

 _"Hmm, get up."_

 _He peaked one eye open, and squint. "But it's so early."_

 _She glanced over at the night stand on his side of the bed, and watched the laminated numbers flicker with the time. "It's eight o-clock."_

 _He just laid there, placing his hands on her hips over the blanket that ended at her waist. "It's Sunday. No such thing as time."_

 _She snickered, and stopped her train of hot kisses down his skin and rubbed her nose against his cheek. "Yeah, but it's morning and breakfast time. The maids aren't here so you wont be able to walk down there and demand breakfast at twelve."_

 _"Well kissing me awake isn't helping you, it's only making me want to stay in bed longer." He moved one of his hands to her hair, twisting a small piece of her brown locks between his two middle fingers. "You're a little adventurous today, by the way."_

 _"I've been sitting on top of you for almost half an hour trying to wake you up." Snorting, she lightly kissed his cheek. The light stubble on his face tickled her skin and she pulled away. "I was about to get out of bed and leave you here by yourself."_

 _"Shaking people awake apparently isn't you style then."_

 _She smirked. "I decided to be nice."_

 _"So generous." He scoffed moving his hand from her hair down to her cheek. He closed his eyes and his hand fell down on the mattress. "Well be nice and let us stay in bed for at least another hour, it was a long night last night."_

 _"Well that's your fault."_

 _"Actually, it's your fault. You're so pretty you drive me crazy."_

 _"And that's exactly what you were last night." She grabbed the blanket and pulled it higher up her body, while hunching over him, distracting him by kissing nose. She covered her bare chest with the covers. "Now come on, get up. I'm gonna take a shower."_

 _"Later."_

 _"Now."_

 _"No, later." He opened both his eyes fully now and looked up at her, he threw his arms around her backside and pulled her down so her face almost came in direct contact with his flat, hard chest. He turned her over and laid beside her in one fast motion that she couldn't keep in a gasp of surprise._

 _"Now you're stuck," he informed her, squeezing her tightly in his arms, nuzzling his face into her hair as he plopped her head down on the pillow next to his. "Now stay."_

 _She rolled her eyes. "I'm not a dog."_

 _"You're right, dog's are nice and do what they're told."_

 _He snickered as he heard her scoff in irritation. He moved one leg over her, and pulled her closer. Trapping her around his body, giving her as less chance to get away form him as possible. "I like cuddling. You're so soft."_

 _She sighed in defeat. "You're lucky you're cute when you look sleepy."_

 _He beamed. "Am I?"_

 _He nuzzled her hair and brushed his lips against her bare neck. Nipping softly at her pulse point, making shudder. "Eight is too early, just sit still for a little while. We can take a shower later."_

 _"We?"_

 _"Duh."_

 _She snorted. "But you talk too much in the shower, and distract me. I never get clean."_

 _"We don't have to talk," he breathed huskily kissing up her neck, while cupping his body behind her like a mold. His lips were hot against her tingling skin, and pulled her impossibly closer. "We could just... Mmmm..."_

 _Tilting her face to look at him, to question him on what he was trying to say, she looked at him, but before she open her mouth, he grasped her chin and kissed her on the mouth, toying with her lower lip._

 _"Hika, I have to-."_

 _"No you don't, Haru, stay with me."_

 _He pulled himself away from her almost reluctantly and hovered his lips over her shoulder blade as she turned back around, resting her back against his warm chest. The window was open, bringing in a cold draft, but he liked to do that. It made her cold and got her to cuddle with him._

 _She snuggled against him, pulling the blanket up to her chin. Laying her cheek against the pillow she breathed deeply in contentment. The idea of leaving to take a shower was obviously lost in their abyss of pleasure and the peacefulness between them._

 _They stayed in such a position for a long while, not moving, and just breathing against the others body. He breathed softly in rhythm and squeezed her tighter, holding her even closer, as if he let go, she'd slip away from him. Which was very likely._

 _After a while longer, she wiggled oddly in his arms and pressed the back of her head into his upper chest, just below his collarbone. She entwined their fingers together and laid their balled up hands over her stomach._

 _She muttered something into the pillow and he peaked his eye open again, looking at her hair with a curious eye._

 _"What was that?" He murmured sleepily, poking her back with his other hand._

 _"...Hikaru?"_

 _"What's the matter?"_

 _"I want a baby."_

 _The moment that slipped passed her lips, he flinched and his eyes nearly popped out of his skull. He hesitated and moved his other arm under her to hold her more securely. "You... do?"_

 _"...I mean... Well... only if-... if you want one." She stammered, her ears turned red from the awkwardness. She sank in deeper into the blankets. "...We don't have to, it's still a little early anyway. I was just..."_

 _He ignorantly blinked his clueless golden eyes and smiled childishly at her adorable embarrassment. He rubbed his nose into her he back of her neck and could hold in a snicker. "Okay."_

 _She frowned, facing that nightstand. "...What?"_

 _"Okay."_

 _"Okay what? You want to or are you just acknowledging what I'm saying?" she grumbled, not moving an inch. "Cause if it's too soon for you, we don't have to, we've only been married for a year anyway, but Narumi, my receptionist said she and her-"_

 _"Haruhi, shush," She was instantly silenced as he pressed a finger to her lips. he let out a solid breath against her cheek as he leaned over her. "Now you're just making it complicated."_

 _"But-"_

 _He wrapped his arm around her waist, and tightened his hold on her hand. As he turned over, he pulled her up over him, causing her to lay directly on top of him. Her bare chest pressed against his. The sudden position change made her gasp in surprise, but she didn't move._

 _"Although..." he mumbled, causing her to look up at him. Her cheeks a bright pink. "That does mean we'll have to stay in bed a little longer, so if you really want to, I guess we'll have to pass on that shower and an early breakfast." He flashed her a smirk._

 _Flustered, she tightened her lips. "N-not now!"_

 _"Aw, don't be a spoiled sport."_

 _"it's morning!"_

 _"And you're pretty sexy this position. I'm surprised we haven't made a couple of babies already."_

 _"Hika!"_

 _He just laughed. "Fine. Later."_

 _"Yes." She glared. "Later."_

 _"Hey, you're the one who asked."_

 _"Well that doesn't mean you have to molest me so early in the morning."_

 _"I'd prefer passionately-"_

 _"I'm taking a shower now."_

 _"Ne! Haru wait!"_

* * *

His fresh, hot tears that burned his eyes were camouflaged with the water that dripped from his wet bangs. it had gotten a little colder and he hadn't realized.

Hikaru ran his hand through his unctuous hair that was still layered with expensive shampoo, and laid his forehead agsinst the shower wall, having the water run down his back.

She was such a _great_ liar.

* * *

With a towel sling around his neck, Hikaru made his way out of the bath and had gotten himself into some causal wear. Just a black cotton shirt and some jeans. Nothing special. he still planned on going to work, but he didn't need to get all fancy.

He wasn't in the mood for that.

His hair was still wet, which was the reason for the towel. He wiped his face and dabbed a little concealer under and around his eyes to cover the dark rings around them, and to cover up any signs that he had been crying.

He breathed unruly breaths as he came down the long staircase, and barely paid any attention of any of the maids that had bowed to him as he passed. He gave them all a causal wave of dismissal and left it at that.

The moment he stepped into the kitchen however, was when full blown emotion hit him like a brick to the chest. A familiar aroma floated to him as he stood in the doorway and an image of Haruhi flashed in front of him.

"Ah, Hikaru!" The tall, slim brunette that stood behind the counter greeted him with a bright smile. "Finally, lunch has been ready for almost an hour. You take such long showers."

Looking at her, Hikaru clenched his hand around his towel and sighed. Obviously it wasn't who he thought it was. How could he be so stupid?

"Kagari," he grumbled back, as though he thought that it was an appropriate reply. "What're you doing here?"

"Making you food, what's it look like?" Kagari rolled his eyes and waved a wooden stirring spoon out to him. "I decided to try something new. You're always complaining about the Tamagoyaki I make you, so I looked thought all those cook books you have over there on that shelf."

"You have a lot," she observed. "They're almost falling off the shelf, though you don't ever cook and they're old, the maids wouldn't have any thing like that."

"They're Haruhi's."

"...Oh, I forgot." She murmured. "She used to cook for you all the time before she left. I bet she was good."

He spared her an eye roll as he sat down at the small breakfast table. "You could say that."

Kagami glanced over at him, after eyeing the food she had spread out on the wide marble counter top. "I... made you food."

"Yeah, I know." He shook his head, rubbing his wet hair with his towel. "I'm not hungry. Just save it for later."

She clenched the spoon and carefully placed it on the counter beside her, taking a deep breath. "But, you didn't get back early enough for breakfast. How can you not be hungry?"

"I'm just not."

"It's a recipe I found in a book that had a bookmark in it... Osen Tamago. It had her name on it, so I thought that if she's made it for you before then you might like it."

He rubbed the side of his head, rubbing his cheek with the soft towel. "Must've been one she wanted to try or something. I duuno."

"...Did she make a lot of things from scratch? or did she just use recipes?"

"I don't know, I never hovered over her shoulder while she cooked."

"What did she-?"

"Kagami," he interrupted her, with a stern breath. Looking up at her with solemn eyes. "I don't really want to talk about her right now. Just drop it. She isn't here. She doesn't deserve to be talked about."

Kagami nodded slowly and looked down, straightening up her apron, that she only assumed was Haruhi's. _Don't want to talk about her? Well... at least we're getting somewhere._

"...I'll make you a bento box to go."

He sighed. "Do what you want."

She looked at him and exhaled deeply in hopelessness. After all this time she still had no effect on him. Couldn't get him to open up, to talk to her, to forget about... _her_. It just wasn't working. But at least now, they were _getting_ somewhere.

Kagami opened her mouth to say something about how she should organize his bento box to take to work, but she was cut off by the door opening, and a maid walking it. She and the maid exchanged glares before the elder woman turned to her boss, who was fiddling with his shirt.

"Mister Hitachiin," she said politely as she could in the presence of Kagami. She paused and only continued when her boss turned to her. She walked up to him, laying his cell phone down next to him on the table. "You have a phone call on hold. You left your phone outside on the banister."

Hikaru looked down at the phone. He only guessed it was his brother, so he wanted to ignore it, but as he picked it up, he saw that caller's I.D and frowned. Not being able t help himself, he took it off hold and answered.

"Kyouya... It better be good."

"You took a while to answered Hikaru, I'm a busy man, I don't like waiting."

"But you waited anyway."

A sigh came form the speakers, and caused a ripple of static. "You're lucky we're friends."

"Eh, you know we're only friends for you benefit and personal gain anyway."

"You're being oddly critical."

Hikaru glared, hunching over the table, placing his palm flat on the surface. "Well my _friend_ did just get me arrested yesterday. I'm sorry, but I can't say being interrogated for murdering my wife has left me in the best of moods."

On the other side of the one, Kyouya hesitated before speaking. "About that. That inconvenience was caused by a misunderstanding. I assure you, the officers have been dealt with properly. They did that without order."

"Yeah," Hikaru tisked. "A misunderstanding caused by you."

"Nothing that was said was meant for public ears, Hikaru-"

"Damn it, Kyouya, don't talk to me like I'm one of your business associates. You screwed up, I gotarrested, I'm out. It's done. What're you calling me for?"

There was another tolerant sign.

"Well, remember last week when I mentioned a reward fond for Haruhi?"

Hikaru's frown deepened. "You didn't."

"I did.'

"Damn it, do you have any idea how much attention I'll get for that?" He rubbed his index finger into his forehead, messing up with already tangled bangs. "I'll have the press more up my ass than they already are. I didn't want a reward fund on her. Now everyone's going to go start crying wolf."

"Possibly, but after just a few days, we've gotten more progress in the search and-"

"Kyouya, searching for her isn't your job, you don't have to do it anymore, and you don't have to tell your officers to do it either. It's no one's business anymore but mine. it's been too long. You're officers already said she's a cold case."

"Don't interrupt me." Kyouya's voice was firm and full of seriousness. "And she isn't a cold case. She's a case we can't solve. Like Tamaki said, if she's out there, then she better find her. If she's not, we're bound to come across something that will tell us she's not... _here_ anymore."

"That she's dead?"

"You say it so casually now."

"Yeah, I've lost all subtly."

"Like I was saying," Kyouya grumbled, already starting to get a little frustrated. "We've got something on her, or - My officers got something on Haruhi, and I thought that it might be a little too good not to tell you about it."

A sharp twinge shot through Hikaru's chest like a comical arrow. His breath hitched and he laid his head down on his hand, that he had propped on an elbow. His eyes flickered to the maid that still stood there, and he could see it in her face that she felt it too.

Hope?

He looked down and sighed. "Go on."

"Let me ask you this first Hikaru. What car was Haruhi driving when she went missing?"

Hikaru crinkled his nose in displeasure. "...Why? why'd you wanna know? did you... find it somewhere?"

"Was it a Nissan Versa? Red?"

"...Yeah?"

"With a hatchback?"

"...Yeah? Kyouya just say it. You found it in a river or something?"

"Better." Kyouya said, still with the same calm, solemn tone he was probably born with. "We have traffic light footage of the same car around Kyoto. We've given description of her car and Haruhi, and people gave us some information."

"You...found her?"

"Not quite." There was a pause, and Hikaru could only shudder at the awkwardness he was put in. "But you're so called friend, most likely just brought you one step close to finding your wife."

"...Kyouya I-"

"You're welcome."


	8. Chapter 8

**Unwanted Hope**

* * *

The minute Hikaru hung up the phone, he escaped almost instantly out of the house. Without another word to Kagami or the maids, despite the dismay from her, as she still tried to get him to eat his lunch.

He wasn't sure what he was expecting from this. After getting arrested yesterday, he wasn't lying when he said he wasn't in the mood for anything. Now Kyouya was giving him that little ounce of hope he was dreading to have.

How could it have been that she had been missing for a whole year, with no sign of her anywhere, and suddenly, right after two weeks and a reward fund, there's something? Actually something? It seemed too good to be true. How was that possible?

 _But please... please be true._

He didn't want to get sucked up in hope like he had so many countless times before. It hurt too much and he didn't want to do that again. He was finally accepting the fact that she was gone, now she wanted to show up again.

What did she want from him? Why did she want to torture him?

"...And then there's this one."

"I don't..." Hikaru narrowed his brow as he looked at another groggy picture Kyouya slid across the table near him. "This is-... It looks like her car."

"Yeah," Kyouya muttered, resisting on rolling his eyes. "That's why I wanted you to come here and make sure. This particular car has been seen around a lot lately in Kyoto, If it actually is her car, then... you know."

"Then..." he glanced up at him. "We found her?"

"It all depends on whether it's her car or not. If it is, we'll go to Kyoto, and look there, since that's where the pictures were taken." Kyouya sighed for a breath and took his glasses off to massage the bridge of his nose. "Then if it's not her car, we're off on another wild goose chase again, and have gotten nowhere."

Hikaru looked down at the picture he held limply in his hand and frowned. "It's not her car..."

Kyouya looked at him. "But you just said it was."

"I know, but it can't be her car... It's impossible. It's got that ugly gash on the windshield from when she turned off road into that rock pile, and I can see that little bit of residue on the bummer where she had all those ridiculous stickers on it, but..." He paused and looked back at it. "It might not be. It's impossible, it can't be her car. There's... been so many close one's already."

"Don't you want this little twinge of hope Hikaru? You aren't taking this like I thought you would."

"How'd you think I'd react?"

"Be over joyed that we actually have a lead finally, after all this time." Kyouya rubbed his shirt over the lenses of his glasses. "I thought you'd at least be a little happy that we might actually find Haruhi now."

Hikaru looked down again, staring at the slightly unclear car pictures. "I know, I thought I would too... but I don't want to get my hopes up, ya' know? I'm tired. Like... physically drained. I don't want to play with game with her anymore."

"Game?"

"She's pissing me off now. Why are we even looking for her anymore after you found these?" Hikaru glared at the photo now, and tossed it on to the table "She's alive now, good. I'm glad, but she's not here, and she obviously has a reason for that."

Kyouya looked at the photo's and crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall. "I'm not following."

"She left for a reason, Kyouya, I don't know what that reason was, but she doesn't want to come home. I don't see why we should force her to."

"Leaving without telling anyone, or telling anyone where she's going or where she'd be, or even if she's still okay... Does that sound like Haruhi?"

"Now you're starting to sound like, Kaoru." Hikaru groaned in annoyance, laying his forehead on his palm as he looked down at the table. "No, it doesn't sound like her, but how are we supposed to know that she didn't anyway? people change and that's not our fault. How do we know we're not looking for someone who doesn't want to be found? Maybe she doesn't want to come home. I've been telling you all this, this whole time."

Kyouya looked up from his phone he was fiddling with to looked at the, and raised his eyebrow. "Yeah, but don't you want your wife back?"

"...I don't think that matters."

"You know, Hikaru, I've noticed something," He said lightly, catching Hikaru's attention instantly. "You don't seem the least bit interested to find Haruhi, and it seemed like you don't care at all if she comes back or not." He glared before Hikaru could speak. "Don't get your wires twisted, I'm not saying you don't 'give a damn' it just _seems_ like you don't care."

Hikaru frowned, then after a few pregnant moments, he turned away again. "...It's not like that, I do but... she's makes it hard to miss her sometimes. Now that I know she's not dead, I know she's out there someone, and she's okay, but now what? What am I supposed to think? If she's okay, then why hasn't she come home on her own? why is she making us look for her?"

"That's what I wondered too," Kyouya looked back at the photo's. "But then again, these might not be Haruhi's car, and she still could be dead if you really want to think that."

"True, but if these are pictures of Haruhi's car, then she's in Kyoto, and if she's in Kyoto then she left on her own free will and now lives there. If she left without telling anyone, then she's with someone else over there and doesn't want people to know. The possibility of her with another guy is especially high in that case, so why _should_ I care?"

"Wouldn't you care that your wife left you for another man? If she did, don't you want to ask her 'why'?"

"Not really." Hikaru huffed, sitting back in his chair with his arms crossed. "It's her business. If she wanted me to know, she would have told me, _before_ she left."

Kyouya looked away again. He could hear the irritation in his voice but decided not to comment on it. He'd known for a while that Hikaru was like this, but he still didn't think he actually didn't care anymore. He had spent too much time and wasted so much effort on this 'search' to not be appreciated and just be told that he 'didn't have to'.

He looked up at Hikaru again, and watched as he looked through the small pile of printed pictures. His heavy sign made him roll his eyes.

"If this is about the officers taking you into custody, that had nothing to do with me."

Hikaru glanced up at him briefly, but then looked back down at the pictures. "It's not. I just don't really know what to say about this... I don't want to believe that we found her, that-... I just _don't_. We've come so close so many times already. I don't want to think we'll find her again, because... we probably haven't, and most likely never will."

"You don't want to think we'll ever find Haruhi again? Shouldn't you... be the most supportive one?"

Hikaru just shrugged. "I've tried. Being supportive hurts, so I've given up that route. If we find her good, _great_. If we don't, I wont be surprised. I've gone this far without her, I'm sure I'll survive."

Kyouya just looked at him. "You really think she's gone, don't you?"

Hikaru looked up from the table and threw a picture down, just as he had done with the last one, and frowned. "Well she isn't giving me much options to choose from. If she's in Kyoto, why hasn't she come home? If she's dead, well then obviously she'll never come back."

"She's not dead."

"And how do you know?"

"Because if she were, we'd know about it from somewhere. Human remains found in Japan? Someone reporting a murder to the police? There's nothing. Suicide, homicide. Nothing."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"It does when you've had private investigators looking for this one person ever since she left." Kyouya glared now, a little irritated. "You've had dozens of detectives, and police officers looking for her since the day after she didn't come home. It wasn't a month, or a week. It was a day, right after. She couldn't have gone far in just a day, and there's a lot to a murder, it can't happen in a blink of an eye. She's not dead. She's out there somewhere, and to be quite frank, it's pissing me off that I don't know where."

"Yeah, well it's pissing me off too." Hikaru retorted, looking away from him, tightening his arms over his chest, clenching his knuckles. "You know how much has been spent on all these things, I used to think she was worth it all, but... I'm not sure about that anymore. Maybe that's what she's wanted this whole time."

"For you to think less of her? Yes, Hikaru. _Everyone_ want's that."

"I'm talking about the money."

Kyouya rolled his eyes. "What? that's she wants all of it? If she wanted our money, then she wouldn't have left. She would have continued to mooch off us. It isn't money related. It's something else."

"Look, I don't know what her problem is. If she's not dead, and she's not with anyone else, than what? What the hell is keeping her from coming back? Is it because she just doesn't want to? or what? Enlighten me."

"Don't get an attitude with me like a five year old." Kyouya cautioned, her raven eyes narrowed. He stood up straight and walked to the table, picking up one of the many photo's that were now scattered. "What I'm trying to tell you, is that what if Haruhi was taken against her will? maybe she didn't want to leave. Someone just... took her."

"...What? she was kidnaped? That excuse has gotten old in this group, Kyouya. We've already thought about that anyway. If she was kidnaped over a year ago, then there's no chance that she's still alive now. You said that yourself when we first considered that."

"Yes and I'd still think that, if I didn't have a guy in Kyoto who swears that he's seen the very description of Haruhi's car, at least from what you said in that paper interview awhile back."

"So," he added, giving Hikaru a dirty look. "She just might _have_ been kidnaped, and now we've not this tiny little hint that she might still be alive too. Now we have to keep looking for her. Whether you think it's a waste of time or not."

Hikaru just stared at him, but the second they made eye-contact, he looked away. "...I'm just tired of being lifted with all this hope all the time, only to have it laugh in my face and push me down again. I'm physically drained. And I don't have a lot of feeling towards anything anymore. She's ruined me."

"Haruhi hasn't ruined you. Her _missing_ , has ruined you."

"Whatever the hell it is. She left for someone else, she's dead, she was kidnaped, I don't know, I'm trying to care, I just... don't know what to do. I'm not any of those detectives, I'm not an officer, there's nothing I can do about it. She isn't dead, great, now what? if she's not dead now, than she hasn't been dead for all this time. What difference does us knowing that make? What are we going to do differently? Let's say she _is_ alive... that doesn't change the fact that she's still _missing_."

Kyouya just nodded, flipping the photo between his fingers before it fell from his hand and fluttered back down to the table. "That's what bugs me. There's nothing else we can do that we haven't already done. But now that Harumi might be alive. It makes, us having to find her, all the more crucial."

"It wasn't crucial before?"

"Well now we know we're looking for a live body."

"That's not what your officers told _me_."

He took his pushed his glasses up and rolled his eyes. "Tell me Hikaru, if it just so happens that another guy, is the one who hypothetically speaking, _kidnaped_ Haruhi... what would you do?"

Hikaru looked at him again, his eyes finally opened fully. He was silent. What would he do? He had spent this whole time cursing Haruhi and blaming her for his pain, but what if it wasn't her fault and it was actually caused by someone else? What if someone did kidnap her? what _would_ he do?

He looked away again. "I think that answer's pretty simple."

Kyouya watched Hikaru as he stood up from his chair. "Is it?"

Hikaru stood up straight and dusted off his shirt a little before reaching for his coat that was slung over the head of the chair beside him. He grabbed his messenger bag that he threw on the floor earlier and stretched out his finger little until they gave a satisfying crack.

"Yeah," ready to leave, he looked over at him again. There was a certain glint in his eyes that Kyouya couldn't read. "I'd kill that son of a bitch."

Kyouya still just stood there with his arms crossed. "Where are you going now?"

" _Home_."

"I guess we're done than."

"Did you have anything else to tell me?"

He shook his head, with another sign. "Be careful driving home. It's supposed to rain."

" _Rain_... right."

Hikaru wasn't sure how he felt as he left the station.

* * *

"Mr. Hitachiin, are you alright?" A maid queried, biting her lip as she delicately placed a small cup of tea on the table for her boss. "You seem-... Is something wrong?"

Hikaru glanced up at his maid and gave her a tiny smirk. "What'd you mean?"

"...You're smiling."

"Is that wrong?"

The elderly maid frowned. Her forehead gaining small wrinkles from her expression, then after a few moments of watching him stir his drink with a tiny teaspoon. "No. I just haven't seen you smile in a long time. What happened?"

Hikaru sighed. "Nothing. I was just told some news, and I'm not really sure how I should react towards it. Where's Kagami by the way? She was here when I left."

The maid made a face. "She's upstairs. I told her not to go up there without your permission, but she said you said it was okay. I'm not sure what she's doing up there though."

"I didn't tell her anything, but whatever, I'm not in the mood to argue with her about anything." He looked back down at the table, and watched his tea swirl around the inside rim of his cup. There was a low rumble from outside, and he could hear the light prickling of water droplets on the large windows next to him.

He twitched. He'd always get an uneasy feeling when it rained. It wasn't anything personal. There had been more than a few thunderstorms since Haruhi had went missing. There had been one that was so bad, it knocked the power out for a few hours. At first, he was worried about his wife, who still had a slight case of astraphobia, then he didn't care, and could only wonder what kind of guy she had holding her for comfort, but now...

He didn't know what to think.

He didn't know what to think. He didn't know who to blame, or to hate. He wasn't sure who he should target all his irritation towards. His body grew hot, thinking too hard about it, as his mind ticked back to what he and Kyouya discussed earlier.

Where was she? Was she okay? Was she really kidnaped? If she was, was she hurt? or scared of being hurt? Did she want to come back?

He rested his elbows on the table, and laid his face in his hands.

To answer his brothers past question.

Yes. He did still love her. He just despised the idea of her not loving him back.

"Mr. Hitachiin," The maid muttered, tapping his arm with her finger, just slightly. She continued to tap him until he looked up at her. "Would you like dinner now? You skipped lunch... like you skipped breakfast."

He looked up from his hands, only to be greeted with her slightly concerned frown. He blinked a few times, thinking if he wanted that. After thinking, he smiled and nodded.

"Sure," he said, rubbing his hand over the stubble on his cheeks. "Make dinner. I don't really care what. Make whatever you want."

She raised her eyebrow. "But you'll eat it?"

"Yeah."

Before she could reply, the door to the kitchen opened with a bustling flourish and Kagami walked in. Her face lit up instantly when her glance caught the sight of Hikaru sitting there at the table. In the same place he was in before he left after a phone call.

"Hikaru," she exclaimed, making the maid turn to her. But she immediately rolled her eyes and walked away, not wanting to be in her presence. Kagami just flapped her wrist towards her as she walked away.

"Where did you go in such a hurry?" she questioned, practically floating over to him. "You left without even saying goodbye. And you were gone for a couple of hours. I was starting to get worried."

"I was just out." He answered casually, finally taking a sip of her tea. He drank it all in one gulp as the cup wasn't that big. "...Are you staying for dinner, _again_?"

"I don't want you to be lonely," she puckered her lips and hunched over, resting her arms on the table next to him. They were at eye-level as he sat in one of the chairs. "Plus, I didn't think it would rain, so..." she wiggled her hips slightly. "I might have to stay here until it stops. I really don't like driving in the rain, it gives me the chills."

"...Right."

"You don't mind?"

"It wouldn't be the first time." He turned to her. His tiny, barely noticeable smile was still plastered on his lips. "I've gotten used to you bugging me all the time."

She saw his tiny smile and beamed in happiness, slowly scooting closer to him, standing so close they could touch if she tilted just a little. "You have, have you?"

He looked away, watching another maid take his cup, most likely going to fill it back up. "Well you're here almost everyday. It'd be hard not to."

"You make it sound like I'm some annoying neighbor who won't leave you alone."

"You're exactly like that, " he answered, looking at her with a playful raised eyebrow. "Except the neighbor part, you live all the way in Adachi."

She scowled, crinkling her nose in thought. She noticed his brighter skin, and his eyes seemed to be more alert to everything. His face had more color, and he just seemed... happy. It had been so long since she had seen him like that, it almost was as though she was staring at a completely different person

She him smiling at her. Was he finally accepting the truth? was he getting over dead emotions, and forgetting old feelings? Was he finally paying attention to her? After all this time of putting herself out there, trying to get his attention.

He was finally getting over her.

Why don't I feel any remorse?

She just shrugged off that thought and closed in the gap between them, as their arms brushed. "I've noticed something about you, today."

He didn't look at her, as the maid walked in and placed his cup in front of him, now filled to the top with tea once more. He took a smaller sip this time and placed it back down on the table with a tiny 'click' sound.

He rolled his shoulders, laying his cheek on his fist. "Have you?"

"You seem... happy."

He snickered. "You haven't been the only who's noticed apparently. I guess I've just stopped caring about everything." He took a deep breath and settled back into his chair, getting more comfortable.

"...But why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you so happy?"

"It's nothing, really. I'm not sure if I should say anything at this point. People might get excited for nothing."

"Tell me."

Hikaru sighed, looking up at her again. His eyes now deep with thought and long buried emotions. "It doesn't matter. Whatever it is, it's probably just a fluke. There's been a lot of those."

She glared, now slightly irritated. "...Is it about, Haruhi?"

He twitched at the sound of her name. Her name that he never wanted to hear be said in that house for a long time, and wouldn't talk to that person at all whoever would say it.

He took a deep breath, resting his head into the fold of his arms. against the backrest of his chair. "..Yeah, it is. Don't get excited. It's probably nothing."

Her skin felt hot, as her eyes widen with concern. "Wait... what about her? what... do you know?"

"I didn't want to say anything in front of the maids, sine they like her so much, and want her to come home as much as everyone else," he admitted, looking at the ceiling. His lips curved slightly, and his eyes looked at every bit of detail they could find on the ceiling, but to look at something. "But... a friend called, and... we might have gotten a lead to where she could be."

Kagami slowly stood up straight, heart racing. Biting her lip, she rubbed her fingers against her palms and looked at him almost desperately. "A lead? so... you know where she is?"

"No. We haven't gotten that far, yet."

"How did you know? How did you find this... _lead_?"

"A car."

"...Huh?"

"Haruhi's car." Hikaru sighed again, closing his eyes, as though, what they were talking about, didn't phase him at all, as if it was not important. "It really isn't anything big. There's just some people who think it's Haruhi's car. There's been a reward fund put on her now, and there's a man who swears he knows where she is. If he's legit, then we'll know if she's somewhere in Kyoto, but who knows. It's a pretty big reward for someone of low, or even middle-class. It might just be someone who wants my money."

"Kyoto..." She muttered, sucking in her lips, trying to make sense of it all. "Well, that's good, isn't it? You've found her. Maybe if you find her alive, everything will go back to the way things were before she left."

He didn't say anything as she stooped down to kiss his cheek. His stubble tickled her lips and she pulled back almost reluctantly.

"I'll be right back," she said in a hushed voice, and a smile. "I have to call... my mother. It's her birthday today."

He didn't say anything, as her kiss seemed to have lingered on his face, so she continued.

"I'll come back in, in a minute and make you dinner." She nodded, looking towards the push-open door to the kitchen. "I know the maids are getting it, but I'll just help them."

He still didn't reply, and once she realized that he wasn't, she rolled her eyes and walked away.

Hikaru still didn't say a thing, as he listened to her walk away. Hearing each individual click of her heels as she stepped on the tile of the hall. he took a deep breath and glanced back down at the table, where his tea was cooling, and couldn't help but remember his conversation he was having with his brother, that morning.

He exhaled heavily and thought of ways he was going to apologize to him, as he had said some things to him, that he didn't mean.

He realized now, that it wasn't her fault, for making him the way he was, and made him act around everyone.

It was his.

But how much of it was his fault?

he just shook his head and reached across the table where his phone was, figuring since he didn't go to work that day, he'd have to call his brother and apologize to him that way.

If he'd talked to him after what he said.


	9. Chapter 9

**You _were_ my world**

* * *

"...Ootori, sir." A man in black uniform spoke up. His emotionless eyes hidden behind his dark glasses. "Your papers."

Kyouya glanced up from his computer and watched one of his bodyguards place a folder down on the table beside him. "Thank you, Tachibana... Have you called-"

"Yes, sir."

"Settled the meeting for next week?"

"It's taken care of."

"...Scheduled our trip to Kyoto?"

Tachibana looked at his boss with a concerned eyebrow behind his aviators. "...You still want to go through with that? I'm not sure it that'd be safe or not. We may want to think of the precautions."

Kyouya looked over at him, as he placed his coffee cup down with a tiny thump. "I don't think so. It'll be fine." He smirked, the light's reflection on his glasses hid his eyes. "Think of it as a tiny vacation."

"It's not the matter of whether it's a vacation or not." Tachibana sighed, his hands glued firmly to his sides. "Don't you think it's a bit odd that a man is in Kyoto, who says he knows where Fujioka is when... we've had several search parties go through Kyoto like it was a small playground?"

"What are you getting at?"

Tachibana's eyes flickered around the room, avoiding eye contact as he slowly answered. "...It seems like it might be another wild goose chase. It doesn't sound too safe either."

"Nothing's safe in this world anymore. Haruhi's been missing for over a year. We can't trust our own _mothers_ these days."

"Exactly. What I'm saying is, that we shouldn't put all our faith on this guy. If we can't trust our own mothers, than we shouldn't trust him. He might not be who he says he is."

Kyouya looked at him, his smirk slowly disappearing. "Believe me, I know. I'm not putting any faith on him at all. I'm just taking what I can get."

"It's just that..." Tachibana tightened his jaw and kept his eyes on his boss's steaming beverage. "If miss Fujioka has been missing all this time, and supposedly she's in Kyoto now. Then someone there has been the reason why she's been missing so... That person, might be the guy who called you."

"The man who called me, might be the person who has Haruhi?"

"Precisely."

"I'm already one step ahead of you." Kyouya shrugged, sipping his coffee one more time before grabbing his folder to look through his paperwork. "Who knows, this all might be for money. Say Haruhi was kidnapped, then the person who's had her this whole time, finally wants the money now that's he's had his fun with her. Now they want me to go over there, luring me there like a dog, only to mock me. Maybe he plans on holding us _all_ hostage."

He could here the sarcasm in his boss's tone and managed to sign without loosing his posture. "We should keep our guard up with him. He could be dangerous."

"Everyone is a little dangerous."

"Do you trust him?"

"Not in the slightest."

"Then why are you doing this?"

"What choice do I have?" Kyouya held a small pile of he papers he pulled out of the folder in one hand, and one paper in the other. "Out of all of us, I may be a legitimate business owner, but I'm also the smartest one, and the only one who does anything."

Tachibana shuddered. "...Whatever you say, sir. I still don't like it though."

"Neither do I."

"...Next week?"

"Yes."

Kyouya turned around on his chair as Tachibana nodded and walked out of the room. He grabbed his coffee and finished it off before moving himself on his chair over towards his laptop.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and was read to start on all the paperwork when there was a buzz in the pocket of his blazer.

He sighed, going to pick up his phone.

Obviously no one was going to let him work today.

* * *

"Mister Hitachiin, are you alright?"

Hikaru, with a towel slung over his shoulders, glanced over at the maid and smirked. "Why?"

"...You seem... brighter."

"Is that so?"

"...I don't want to say anything but... Is it because of what mister Ootori said to you?"

Shaking his head of wet hair like a dog, Hikaru took a deep breath and rubbed the side of his head with the towel. "I dunno. I didn't think it'd affect me."

"But it has, in a way." The maid smirked, ricked back on her toes to her heels once as she stuck her head into the cabinet, idly searching for a crock-pot. "You're happy, aren't you?"

"...I wouldn't say that." Hikaru breathed in heavily, and went to grabbed his shirt that was laying across his lap, to slip it over his head. As he had been sitting there shirtless. "I'm not expecting anything out of this. I don't want anyone here getting excited either. You know what let down feels like."

The maid was silent for a few moments after that, as she rummaged through the cabinets. It had been so long since she had seen her boss smile, and while that tiny smirk on his face, and that small hint of color on his cheeks wasn't much. It was enough.

For a long time, he had lost it all. His smile, the color in his face, and until just recently, he was in the same schedule. Wake up, skip breakfast, eat a little lunch, go to work, sleep at work, come home, skip dinner, take a shower, and lay in bed all night long, awake.

Now, just two days after getting that call from Kyouya, his eyes paid more attention. He had more cognition. He responded to what they said to him. He was more willing to do things, rather than giving them his usual "I'm not in the mood" response. And that made her happy, just watching him slowly rise out of his dark hole he had crammed himself into so long ago.

This last year had been tough on all of them to handle, but her boss was the one who was suffering the most, which by now, was pretty obvious.

She pulled her head out, pulling out the crock-pot she had been looking for, with her, and looked over at her boss, who was sitting at the table with his phone in his hands. This sadly, was his life now. Just sitting there, with his phone being his only sense of entertainment.

"Mister Hitachiin," she spoke up. She didn't continue until he turned her way, this time though, out of many times before, he wanted irritated. He just looked curious.

"Misses Hitachiin has been missing for over a year now," she continued, watching his facial expression change. "I know it isn't something we talk about-"

"Then don't," Hikaru interrupted her, his brow furrowed in sudden annoyance. "She isn't worth wasting your breath on."

The maid glared. She knew she shouldn't get upset with her boss, as he could easily fire her, and replace her with someone who didn't know Haruhi personally. Though his attitude would sometimes get under her skin.

"Sir, I'd really hate to upset you, but you cannot just talk about her that way," she blurted out, her cheeks red. She knew she was stepping on a landmine. "Miss Haruhi wouldn't say such things about you to everyone if you were missing. And if it really is what Mister Ootori said about her getting kidnapped, then I don't think you have a right to either. She doesn't deserve that."

Hikaru stared at her with a frown with his mouth agape. After a few moments, he turned away, not knowing what to say to that. Of course he wasn't saying these things because he didn't mean it. He meant it, personally. If he couldn't say these things to her face, then he'd tell it to someone else's.

He clenched his fist and looked away towards the table. Pulling his towel away from him, he flung it over the head of the chair beside him. He sat there speechless, not knowing what to say, or just refusing to open his mouth.

The maid sighed. "...Mister Hitachiin, I didn't mean-"

"No... I get it. I know." He muttered, looking down at his phone, which was off. He flipped it around on his hand a few times before continuing. "I'm being un fair. But there isn't any room for me to think of anything otherwise. He might not have been her fault, but it might have, what am I suppose to think? I have this same argument with everyone, but nothing changes."

"...I just think you shouldn't bee to hard on her. I think you should know her side of the story first... Miss Haruhi is too good of a person to be taken for granted."

"Well she isn't here to give her side of the story."

"Then you shouldn't judge. Because she doesn't know your side of the story either."

"Well I'm not the one who's missing, am I? She doesn't need to know my side of the story."

The maid shook her head, walking over to the counter to put down the large, heavy pot. She fiddled with a pin in her bun and adjusted her skirt. She heard the hurt in his tone. It was the kind of hurt from someone who felt betrayed, who was lonely. Someone who felt as though they had everything they could ask for, but yet, still had nothing.

If there was a sound to someone dying inside.

That's what it would sound like.

It pained her to hear him sound that way, after knowing how happy he could sound. Even after this long, it still didn't seem natural to see him so unhappy. When he had lived so much of his life with that annoy, mischievous grin on his face. The one everyone always dreaded because they knew he was thinking.

Now, everyone just wanted to see that annoying, playful grin again. Because this frown he always wore, was just too sickening.

If this kind of pain was caused by one person, then Haruhi must be one special person to her boss. And she only wished that he understood why he looked so sad, and wished he wouldn't feel so much hate towards her.

How could you hate the same person so much, who was the very same person who brought you the most happiness?

She was about to say something else to him, as he just stared down at his coffee with a frown. But before she could get that far, the sound of the front door slamming open with a great force interrupted her.

Hikaru just gave a big sigh and laid his head down on his arm.

"Damn it Hikaru, you better be sick and near death! And it better be a damn good illness, not some crappy excuse that you fell down a flight of stairs."

The maid squeaked from the sudden booming voice hat came from the entry hall. There was some whispers from behind the door and she instantly began to scurry to the kitchen to begin cooking dinner for that evening.

Hikaru was silent as he heard the loud footsteps echo across the tile in the hall, and rolled his eyes and slumped over the table more. Not knowing, and not wanting to know how _he_ got in.

He barely flinched when the door swung open. There was a loud huff of air as that person breathed out irritably, and suddenly something heavy was dropped on the floor, as there was a loud thump-.

He looked up slowly. His bangs slightly mused.

And there stood, right in front of his face, the face of his dear, obviously irritated, little brother.

He scowled. "...Hi, Kaoru."

"You-..." Kaoru pointed a finger towards him, as his face was only a mere two inches from his older brothers nose. "...You ungrateful, jerk. What'd you think you're doing?"

Hikaru looked away from him, laying his chin back down on his arm. "Sitting here. Wondering how you got in my house."

"...You forgot that I have a key to your house."

"...Doesn't mean you can just come over whenever you want. Maybe I didn't want company."

"Does it look like I care whether you wanted company or not? No, I don't."

Hikaru raised his eyebrow and turned to his brother, who towered over him, glaring. "...What's your problem?"

"You're my problem!" Kaoru threw his hands up, huffing his discouragement. "You leave my house pissed, don't show up for work, I message you numerous times and you don't respond to anything. Two days later, you still haven't showed up to work, and you haven't been answering any of my phone calls at all!"

Hikaru just looked at him. "Yeah... My phone has been off."

Kaoru's scowl hardened. " _Why_?"

"Because normally, I don't want to talk to people."

"Well you could have at least let me know you were still alive!"

"Well I'm alive."

"I didn't now that!"

"Where would I have gone? What would have happened to me exactly?"

Kaoru stared at his brother, his brow twitching in annoyance. She closed his eyes and spun around on his heel, interrupting their intense eye contact. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his hoodie before turning back around.

"Well don't do it again," He said firmly, now glaring as she slumped himself down in the chair beside his brother without a second thought, or with permission. "You don't leave mad at me, then ignore me for almost three days. I have feelings, Hika."

Hikaru just looked away again. "Funny, I thought you lost those."

Kaoru pouted now, loosing his irritated attitude as she glanced over at his brother, who looked a mess. With his hair mussed, wet and tangled. Him in barely a pair of jeans and a figure fitting cotton t-shit. And his tired expression, lazy expression on his face. He almost looked like a zombie.

"Is this about what I said?" He muttered almost quietly, as he too laid his child on his arm, copying his brother's pose. "I didn't mean anything by it, Hika. I've just been a little irritated and confused lately. I'm sorry..."

"Yeah..."

"Well you could at least look at me, so I know you forgive me sincerely."

"Fine, at least get out of the house. For what I know, the only time you've been out, is to visit Kyouya who suddenly wants to go to Kyoto now. Other than that, you've been sitting at home all da, haven't you? Doing nothing?"

Hikaru sighed, sitting up straight, now moving his hands through his hair, carelessly pulling at the tangles. "It's nothing. I'm just not in the mood to-"

"Look bro, you're never in the mood to do anything. Let's go out and do something, walk around, get you some vitamin D. You're so pale, people can tell which one of us is who, now."

"It's not that bad. Don't be dramatic."

"We're leaving the house, Hikaru. Whether you like it or not. You can't swallow in your own self pity this whole time. It's ugly to watch."

Hikaru looked at him, not helping the disgruntle scowl on his lips. "Then don't watch. Go home. It's one thing if we're having this argument at your apartment, but you actually came to me this time."

"I didn't come here to argue. I was worried about you."

"Well I'm alive, you can go now."

"You now, after what we found out, I though you might be a little more happy," Kaoru sighed, laying his cheek on his fist, sticking out his tongue. "I miss Haruhi almost as much as you do, and we finally found out we might find her, but you're no different then you were last week, and last wee, you were no different than you were five months ago. I really don't know what to do for you, Hikaru."

"Leave me alone."

"Well I'm tired of leaving you alone. I've been doing that. I haven't seen you at all for two days. What'd you call that?"

"I nice vacation."

"Don't be a jerk. I'm trying to help you."

"I don't want you to help me. There's nothing wrong with me." Hikaru glared, placing his hands firmly on the table, pushing himself up to stand. "Why are you even here? Go back to your wife who's probably sitting at home alone."

Kaoru couldn't help but hear a slight hint of envy in his brother tone as he stood up, copying his movements to make sure he didn't loose him again, or so he wouldn't walk away.

"Mokoto's in the living room talking with the maids." He said simply, with an arched eyebrow. "She was worried too. I wasn't going to tell you what she said to be nice, but she said you need help."

"I don't need help. I get along just fine without any of you around."

"...Professional help, Hikaru."

Hikaru whipped his head around almost in shock as he looked at his twin, appalled. "What the hell? I'm not crazy"

"Down boy," Kaoru put his hands up. "It's not like that. She was just suggesting. Honestly I think-"

"You think _what_? I need a shrink? Wow Kaoru. Best brother of the year award."

"It's not like that. It's not that you're crazy. It's..."

He paused glancing at the maid, almost hoping that she would back him up. But she didn't seem too involved in their conversation enough to know what was said last. He sighed and leaned into Hikaru's arm a little bit , laying his chin on his shoulder.

"Hikaru it's just..." He pursed his lips. "Mokoto said that sometimes people who are really sad need to talk to someone. And you won't talk to me-"

"Kaoru, I don't need a shrink."

Kaoru gave a fake, more dramatic sigh as he laid his head against his brother's temple. "I know you don't. You're not crazy it's just that since Haruhi left maybe you'd like-"

"If I would have liked to lay on a couch and talk about my problems to some guy in glasses who thinks he knows everything, then no. I wouldn't like that. Stay out of my business."

Kaoru suddenly fell sideways, when Hikaru stood up, but fortunately he caught himself and stood up also. He saw Hikaru roll his eyes towards him and he glared. "Look, I know you're upset. Everyone's-"

"Don't say everyone's upset, and everyone feels almost the same way I do. Because you don't." Hikaru huffed. Kaoru shivered at the coldness of his frown. "You don't know anything. I sick of being told the exact same things. 'Everything's going to be okay, it's going to work out'. 'We'll find her'. Just be patient'."

He threw his arm towards the side. "Do you know how long she's been gone? almost fourteen months. How patient do you want me to be? You don't know what it feels like. None of you have been like this. Stop telling me that like you have."

"What do you want me to tell you than? I've tried to be sympathetic towards you, you hated it. I tried to make you feel equal to all of us, but you hate that too. What do you want, Hikaru?"

 _I want Haruhi back..._

He was silent.

"...Just leave me alone."

"No."

"... _Fine_."

And with that, Hikaru turned around. With his hands clenched at his sides he passed, and brushed shoulders with a maid that was carrying cloths for under the sink. His short nails began to hurt against his palms. His eyes stung with undeveloped tears as he went for the door to the kitchen.

Unfortunately he didn't get that far. As just when he placed his hand against the door to push it open, his phone began to buzz from inside his pocket. He laid his head against the door, feeling it vibrate against his side.

Thrusting his hand into his pocket, he pulled out his cell that was laminated with a bright screen and Kyouya's name. He wanted to let it go to voicemail, but the fact that it was Kyouya, was the only thing stopping him from clicking the 'end' button.

It lasted three long, ear aching rings before he cursed under his breath and answered it, slamming it to his face with his other hand in his hair.

" _What_?"

"Hikaru..." Kyouya's voice came from the other side of the line. His tone was solemn and raw. Making Hikaru cringe the second he spoke. "...Are you busy?"

"I wish." He replied easily, not liking it already. "Why? What's going on?"

"Are you alone?"

"Sadly, no."

"Who are you with?"

Hikaru frowned. Glancing over his shoulder he saw Kaoru leaning against the table, with his arms crossed, staring back at him. He tightened his lips and turned back around, glaring at the door.

"With Kaoru... Why?"

"Put me on speaker then." Kyouya gave a rare, heavy sigh. "The less I have to say this to people, the better."

Hikaru stared at the floor. His body was growing hot from anxiousness, and after a few moments, his finger slowly made it's way to the screen to put it on speakerphone. Kyouya's voice now blared louder, almost the whole kitchen could hear.

He moved his face away, turning around to lean his back against the wall. Staring at his brother who was giving him a weird, confused grimace.

"There..."

Kyouya's deep breath drew static through the speakers and Hikaru leaned his head back against the wall. He couldn't help his heart rate that increasing. He stuck his other hand in his pocket and gripped the fabric of his hoodie between his fingers.

"I got a call earlier today from the man who said he knew, Haruhi. The one from Kyoto..." Kyouya explained his voice stained. "I didn't believe him so I did some research on some sources of my. Its taken me all day, or I would have called earlier."

Hikaru held his breath, watching his brother's expression as he talked, and held the phone loosely in his fingers. "...And?" he pushed, urging for him to continue.

"He said there was an accident."

Hikaru squeezed his eyes shut. "...Why doesn't that sound good?"

"There was an accident about him knowing Haruhi wasn't there?" Kaoru spoke up, now involved in the conversation. "He just knows some other brunette with a red car?"

"...Not exactly."

Hikaru chewed on his lips, biting the inside of his cheeks. "...So what then?"

"Have you heard of a car accident recently on the news? or in the papers?"

"You know we aren't up to date with that stuff."

"Well there was. A car accident in Kyoto I mean... A red Nissan Versa... hatchback." Kyouya continued slowly, hoping they'd catch on easily that way, but they remained silent for him to go on. "I'd say it was a coincidence but the man who I've been keeping distant contact with, says he knew Haruhi personal. And actually knows where she was living, and who she's been with."

Hikaru's frown grew deeper, his forehead leaving deep wrinkles. "...Why are you using pastense?"

"The car accident was yesterday and he got news about Haruhi from the person she was living with..." Kyouya's voice strained, showing only a light hint that even he was about set about it. "It isn't a coincidence. That was Haruhi's car we have pictures of."

"And?"

"And... that was Haruhi's car in the accident."

Hikaru inhaled sharply as his heartbeat stalled. "...So... Haruhi's car's totaled, okay? so what? someone was driving her car. What does that have to do with-"

"No one stole Haruhi's car, Hikaru. Haruhi was driving that car."

"...No she wasn't."

"Haruhi was part of the accident."

"But-"

"The one yesterday. Her car's totaled. The man who knew her was told by the one she was living with, whoever the hell he is, that the reason she didn't come home, was because she was in the hospital."

Hikaru felt knees go weak. "...So Haruhi's in the..."

"She's not in the hospital, Hikaru."

"Then she's okay then. Right, yeah, well where is she now?"

"She isn't _anywhere_ , Hikaru... That's what I'm trying to tell you."

"I don't-... I don't get it."

"That car, from what the damage shows in the reporters pictures, took a lot of damage in the front, it was a head on collision."

Hesitation and dread were clear in his voice. "...Okay?"

"The accident was fatal."

Hikaru gripped the phone. His other hand was tangled In his bangs as she closed his eyes tightly, blocking out light and preventing any undeveloped tears of frustration from getting bigger. He moved to lean his back against the wall more securely.

"Right, fatal... what's that suppose to mean? Haruhi isn't-... she wasn't there. That wasn't her car. I told you. It was impossible. You're just reading junk on the internet."

"It isn't junk, Hikaru. It's pure news, in Kyoto..." Kyouya paused, and there was a few sounds from the background that sounded an awful lot like a female crying. "...That was Haruhi's car in the pictures. That was Haruhi at the hospital."

"...Of course it was, Kyouya."

"Hikaru..."

"What?"

There was another pause. This one lasting a little longer, as though he was dreading on wording what he was saying. Kyouya took another deep breath, causing another breath of static.

"It was fetal, Hikaru... There's no way the driver would have survived. The whole front of the car was crushed."

"..."

"...Haruhi's gone."


	10. Chapter 10

**No Goodbyes**

* * *

A week had past since the news had been broken to everyone.

It took awhile, but since Haruhi didn't know all that many people that were especially important to her, it didn't take them long. Luckily for Hikaru, everyone felt too bad for him so he didn't have to do anything.

That included breaking the news to Ryoji. Hikaru hadn't seen him since that day he dropped off all of Haruhi's belongings. And he was sure that their visit at her funeral would be awkward.

The former Host club members decided to have a private ceremony. They were told the body was being transported from the morgue by a private car of the funeral home, so they didn't worry about that. They were also told that it was a closed casket funeral.

"She is just in no shape to be looked upon." They were told, and they understood.

Hikaru did not.

He didn't understand what was happening, or what happened, nor did he want to. How could they be so close, and then be kicked back not long after?

They were so close...

And then she was just gone.

For good this time.

Now there was no hope at all that she was coming back home, because she was gone completely. She was wiped clean, and they were attending her funeral.

Haruhi's funeral.

What hurt everyone the most, was the fact that they didn't even get to say goodbye.

The service was at the Hitachiin's mansion, located in the courtyard. While the main burial was at the same cemetery where Kotoko Fujioka was buried. Because there, it just seemed right.

It was done up nice. It wasn't a grand cemetery, as it was located at the middle-class town where Ryoji still lived, but it had the touches of the rich blended into it nicely. With nice organized flowers, and the plain spot where there was no headstones, was where the guests were at.

Only two or three people from Haruhi's firm had come to mourn. The rest where family, distant relatives (most from Hikaru's side) and distant friends Haruhi had just kept in contact with, but hadn't really seen since Her and Hikaru's wedding. Then the Host club.

Despite the sadness, and the sorrowful event. The day was nice and warm. The sky was a clear light blue and was only sprinkled with small vanishing clouds, and a small breeze blew, barely fluttering the treetops of the trees that were around the cemetery.

The tables were draped with crisp white cloths, decorated with large light blue ribbons on the sides. The chairs all matched and of course if was all courtesy of the Hitachiin's. Their logic being: "Even if it's a funeral, doesn't mean it has to look sad and ugly. That won't help anyone".

It upset Hikaru. As his wife's funeral looked much like how their wedding reception was.

Huni sat at one of the tables. He was tall enough now that his feet didn't dangle above the ground. His finger traced along the bottom on his water goblet. With a soft sigh he turned to his side where his cousin sat, who was just as silent as ever.

"...Poor, Haru-chan." He whispered, glancing over at his wife, Reiko who was talking to one of Haruhi's old coworkers. "I wonder where she was going when she was in the car."

Takashi glanced over at him, then looked away with a shrug. "...Hmm."

"I wish we could have said something to her..."

"Mm, hmm..."

"I miss her already, Takashi. Poor Hika-chan. I bet he's really sad." The blond murmured quietly, not trusting his own voice. As tears stung his eyes. "...Where is Hika-chan? I haven't seen him today. Do you think he's late?"

"He's here. He's just not being very sociable right now." Kaoru spoke, as he walked up to them from the side. "I just talked to him - or rather - I talked to him and he ignored me... completely. Hasn't said a word to anyone at all."

Mitsukuni turned and looked at him with his sad brown eyes. His hands were stuck deep into the pockets of his black blazer. His orange hair was styled neatly in his fashionably tousled style. His eyes had a hint of red, telling everyone in an obvious manner that he had been crying at some point of the day.

"He's over there sitting alone." Kaoru continued, loosely throwing out an arm to his side, pointing over to where his brother sat, who looked to be talking to their mother now. "...Despite everything he's said about her recently, he still cared a lot about her, and he's just as upset about this as everyone else is so... Don't give him too hard of a time about it."

"We know," Mitsukuni replied, looking down at the ground. "He could never hate Haru-chan. He loved her too much."

Kaoru didn't say anything and just looked away as he noticed his friend look away with his shoulders trembling, trying to hold in sobs and his tears. He felt his own eyes burn but took a deep breath and wiped below his eyes with his sleeves.

He shrugged his shoulders and went to go look for his wife. Though once he turned around, he saw something at the corner of his eye. He glared and crossed his arms, noticing a face who he wasn't so pleased to see.

"Great, what the hell is she doing here?" He grumbled, causing Mitsukuni and Takashi look over to where he was looking. "I don't remember inviting her..."

Mitsukuni glanced over towards the direction Kaoru was looking and noticed a woman dressed in a figure fitting, lower knee length black dress. She was where Hikaru was sitting, and seemed to be taking a chair beside him.

"That girl?" He mumbled innocently. "Who is she? Is she Hika-chan's friend?"

"We met her last month. Remember? The Hika-whore."

"That's not nice, Kao-chan. She seemed nice when I met her."

Kaoru sighed. His forehead wrinkled as he crunched his face up. He crossed his arms and forced himself to look away from her, as she was sitting way too close to his brother, and it was irritating him.

"Just look at her, she's all over him." He blurted out, throwing himself down in a chair that was to the same table as them. "What kind of respectful woman comes to the funeral of the guy's wife who she's hitting on, in front of everybody. It's like she enjoys it."

Takashi peered over at Kagami. They were a good distance away from her and Hikaru but he could still see that she was holding his hand. He raised his eyebrow and turned back to Kaoru.

"She seems harmless... It looks like she's just comforting him." He said in his blain, solemn tone. "You don't like her though."

"I despise her."

"Why?"

"Because she's pissing me off."

Mitsukuni now asked. "Why, Kao-chan?"

Kaoru looked away towards the ground. He rubbed the tow of his shoe into the grass and clicked his tongue. Normally he wouldn't be this way towards someone, even if he did hate that person, he wouldn't say it out loud, but Kagami... She just didn't sit with him well. She made him feel hot inside - and not in a good way.

"She just..." He paused, not sure how to word exactly how he felt. "She upset me the way she was always clinging to him, when we couldn't find Haruhi, when she was missing. Now that Haruhi's gone... There's nothing stopping her from doing whatever she wants with him. He's kind of a free man now. Now, even if he wanted to, he could do whatever he wants to. He's so depressed lately that he'd probably take any kind of female attention that's given to him."

Mitsukuni nodded. "...Kao-chan isn't jealous that Kaga-chan is taking Hika-chan... He's sad because Kaga-chan isn't Haru-chan, huh?"

"...She's taking advantage of my brother. Hikaru's dealing with a lot and it's too much for him that he continues just to sallow in his self pity. She's taking that as an easy target to get to him physically."

"How empty headed of you, Kaoru. I'm disappointed." Tamaki's voice came up quiet behind him. "You shouldn't say things about someone like that when you barely know them. I'm sure she's just being nice."

The tall blond slowly took the last free chair at that table they all sat at, and gave a small sigh. His bangs covered most of his forehead as he started down at the table and the empty unused glass in front of him. Though they could all tell that he had been crying awfully hard at one point also, and very recently.

"...Tama-chan..."

"I'm okay..."

Kaoru clenched his fist inside the pocket of his black blazer and turned his head to look at his brother again. Kagami's chair was facing his way, and he could see her face as she idly chatted with his twin, and smiled while she did so.

"...I hate how he takes her side in everything." The ginger grumbled, throwing himself back into his chair. "She's been at his house every single day since We got the news, and she's there every time I'd go over there, and makes him food. I'm starting to think she really does live there with him and he just hasn't said anything about it."

"Whether she is or not, that's none of our business." Tamaki said quietly, looking up at Kaoru when he turned his head back around. "What Hikaru does in his free time now, isn't our concern."

"He's my brother, I have every right to know what he does in his free time."

"But he's also a grown man, who now, besides for a couple of maids, lives alone in giant house. Haruhi's... gone now. We can't judge him for anything he does, and can't hate the random woman he's going to be a attracted to now, just because they're not her."

"I can hate her all I want. Just look at her and that smile. She shouldn't be smiling that way today. It irks me."

"And you shouldn't be talking like that to her with such a negative view today. Haruhi wouldn't approve of... it."

Tamak's voice trailed off, knowing that he had said something that was known but was better left off being unsaid. The table and everyone at it had become especially quiet as an awkward silence hung over them.

Kaoru looked over at the table again, and noticed that Kagami was standing up and was saying something to his brother. He narrowed his eyes and stood up not a second later.

"I'm gonna go find, Kyouya..."

* * *

 _It was early morning. The sun was just beginning to rise and cast it's bright orange raise over the treetops. A bird perched itself on the balcony of a window to a hotel room, and chirped annoyedly at nothing in particular._

 _The couple who were in that hotel room were cuddled up close to each other, their bare torso's covered by only a sheet. There was a low, thunder-like groan from under the sheet as the figure moved under it, and snuggled up closer to the other as they slept._

 _"...Hika..."_

 _"Hmm?"_

 _"Turn the light off. I'm sleeping."_

 _"It's not on darling. It's morning."_

 _"I'm not ready for morning yet."_

 _Hikaru was the only one fully awake. He had his head propped up on his elbow as he played with his wife's hair. It was the second night of their honeymoon, and he had gotten up early an hour ago. And now, just watched her cling to him sleepily, grumbling her complaints of the sun shining in her face._

 _Apparently she felt like starting that day off, complaining._

 _Haruhi gripped the sheet in her hand and pulled it under her chin, snuggling back up into his side, with her head laying on the crook of his arm. "Quit moving. I'm still tired."_

 _He chuckled, moving his free hand along her face, and through her hair behind her ear. "Long night?"_

 _She rubbed her face into his bare side, and threw her arm over his chest. "I'm not feeling it today. We're staying in bed."_

 _"Fine with me."_

 _"...It's nice."_

 _"You laying on top of me is nice, or the bed itself is nice?"_

 _"Both. Except you're a little firm. It's hard to get comfy."_

 _"Well how about I move and lay on top of you and make your arm go to sleep?"_

 _Haruhi snorted, moving her legs over him, so she was practically laying on top of him now. She nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck and mumbled in a low lazy drone. "Go back to sleep."_

 _"I've been awake too long just watching you sleep. I can't go back to sleep now, not when we're both awake." He replied, moving both his arms around her, turning her over so she laid between his legs, with her face laying right under his chin. "Are we going to get up or not?"_

 _"Well... I am kind of hungry."_

 _"So we're not staying in bed?"_

 _"What time is it?"_

 _"It's our honeymoon darling. It doesn't matter what time it is."_

 _"Then I guess we're getting up, cause you have to take me out to buy me some tuna."_

 _Hikaru scowled, nuzzling his nose into her hair. "Maybe I don't want to buy you tuna."_

 _She propped herself on her elbows to look at him in the face. "...Oh... for a second I thought I was in bed with the wrong person. Now come on, we're getting up. I bet it's past lunch time._

 _Hikaru moved his arms around and folded them behind his head. He flashed her a grin and winked at her playfully. "No. Say 'please'."_

 _"I don't need to tell you anything." Haruhi puckered her lip, rolling her eyes. "I could easily buy my own lunch. I just choose for you to come with me. Now get up. "_

 _"Didn't you just say that we were going to stay in bed all day?"_

 _"I changed my mind, I like you, but I like food too, and I don't like being hungry. So food is kind of overruling you right now. "_

 _He frowned, turning over to hug his pillow. "Sheesh, who knew a pretty girl like you would be more attracted to sushi than to her dangerously handsome husband who is sitting right next to her, completely naked. "_

 _"...Sushi tastes better."_

 _"..."_

 _Hikaru sighed, sitting up with the sheet falling to his waist. Haruhi had the other side of the sheet wrapped around her chest while she looked for her shirt. He turned to watch her and only averted his attention elsewhere when she sat back on her side of the bed and began dressing herself._

 _He snickered and was obviously amused at the fact that her clothes were too big for her. "...My shirt, Haru?"_

 _She turned to look at him, as she was pulling the sleeves higher up her arms. and smirked. "You can wear my shirt if you want."_

 _He just laughed. "Fine, you win. I'm up."_

 _Haruhi beamed at him, but he was sure it was just because of the tuna. She buttoned up the shirt to be dressed in at least something while she made her way to the bathroom, but before she crawled out of bed completely, she scooted closer to him and cupped his cheek in her hand._

 _"We'll stay in bed all day tomorrow." She snickered, he closed in her face to him, but didn't have to go much further as he pressed himself against her before she could. Their lips met and his hands found their way into her hair again._

 _The kiss lasted a while, as she had crawled over him, causing him to fall back on the bed. But eventually they parted and he opened his eyes._

 _And suddenly she was gone and he was all alone._

"...Hikaru? Are you listening to me?"

And then he was at her funeral.

Hikaru opened his eyes and looked around. He had been subconsciously thinking so strongly that he managed to stay conscious, but hadn't heard a word anyone said to him.

He turned and saw Kagami sitting beside him. She was tugging on his sleeve. "...I was thinking."

"Oh..." Kagami looked at him strangely as though she thought he was eroding away, but quickly shook her head and smiled, grasping his hand. "...I was just saying that I'm going to go make a call it's... important. Don't go anywhere."

Hikaru blinked. In truths he barely even knew why she was sitting there in the first place. "...Yeah."

She smiled and cupped his cheek, kissing his skin lightly between her fingers before getting up to leave. "Right."

Hikaru sat there, feeling the lingering sensation of her quick kiss on his cheek. Though not even moments later it was gone, and he was left with just his thoughts once more. As he had been out of it the whole day.

The past week had been hard on him the most, but now today, he was just out of it completely. His face hadn't worn any expression since the moment he woke up in tears.

This is exactly what he meant by getting his hopes up, and this is what he meant by him being kicked back down.

They were so close - or rather - as close as they had come in the last year, to finding Haruhi. Everyone had gotten excited and so hopeful that it made him sick.

But now, a week after they find the slightest hint of where she could be, she dies.

Now she was never coming back. Now she was gone forever and they could do nothing but accept it.

Hikaru clenched his fist as he laid his chin down on his arm. How... How could something like this happen? Why did it have to happen?

He never hated her. He never said he wished that he never met her. He was always just convinced that he had done something that made her leave. Then, he just thought that she thought that he wasn't good enough and wanted a new start.

He never wished something bad would happen to her when he had said such terrible things about her. About her leaving, and not being worth to be talked about. He never wanted anything to happen to her. Because he still loved her.

Now she was dead. And he'd never see her again. - Not that he thought any different when she first left -.

If he were to get this kind of news, he didn't think he's be that affected by it. As he continuously told everyone that she was dead from the start.

It hurt less telling that to himself, than it did coming from the mouth of someone who wasn't just saying to help them move on. It was real this time, and that hurt him more than anything else had before.

The only thing he ever wanted when she left, was for her to come back. He loved her more than anything, and he just wanted her back, and to make himself feel less pathetic, he's say he was fine without her, and that he didn't need her.

Apparently god didn't understand what he meant...

Because he took her away from him in the blink of an eye.

 _Be careful what you wish for. Because it might just come true._

It _had_ come true.

And he had never felt so miserable in his life.

He said he didn't expect anything for it. He had said he didn't care and wasn't hoping for anything to be true from it. It was just a couple of pictures that were worth nothing to him.

But he'd be lying if he didn't pry that something would. That those pictures had some meaning to them.

And they probably did.

But that meant nothing to him now. Now that his world had officially blown up around him, after a year of listening to the ticking of that bomb that was dropped on him by Kyouya.

No, he didn't hate her for leaving. He was upset that she did, but he didn't hate her for it. He could never hate her for anything. He loved her too much, and wanted so much more out of life with her.

Crumbled, scuffed, and battered. Haruhi died in a car accident. _His_ Haruhi was killed in a car accident. And she died alone.

When his wife died, he was at home, telling himself how much he didn't need her, and that he hated her guts.

And he hated himself for it.

 _God... Damn you._

He wanted to know who it was that was also a victim in that head on collision, and he wanted to violently shake that person until he just didn't have the energy to anymore. Just because he wanted someone to blame.

 _There... you have her now. What the fuck do you want from me now? What the hell do I have left for you to take from me now? Are you fucking satisfied with yourself?_

When he had her, he lived for her. He lived to be with her all the time, and not let her go.

He let her go, and she was missing for so long. He lived to find her so they could be happy again, together.

Well what the hell did he live for now? How was he ever going to be happy that way again?

"...Hikaru?"

He heard a short, solemn voice behind him. It was low and was full of mourning. At first he ignored it. Just taking it as another distant, sympathetic relative who didn't even know Haruhi. But the voice settled in and he recognized it instantly.

Sighing, as he sat up straight, Hikaru turned his head to the side and saw Kyouya, dressed in the same saddening black as everyone else. The sun was hidden behind a small cloud, so his glasses had no way in hiding his tired eyes, but his hair was neatly combed, so no one, at first glance, would be able to tell that he was anything less than perfect and the prime image of professionalism.

Hikaru looked up at him, but didn't say anything except arch an eyebrow.

"The car from the morgue is here." The raven haired man muttered, his hands stuck deep into the pockets of his blazer. "Everyone's over towards the clearing where-"

"I know." Hikaru whispered quietly in understanding. _The clearing where they were burying Haruhi..._ "I'm coming."

"...You look tired."

"You don't look any better."

"I'd be lying if I said that all this wasn't taking a toll on me, too."

Hikaru placed his hands on the table and stood up. "Some more than others."

Their walk to the small clearing was a short, awkward one. Everyone seemed to be walking towards it, and while Hikaru didn't work the guest list, but he didn't think it was so large, or that so many who were invited, would actually come.

Half his family members who were there never even met Haruhi, and he was sure that they couldn't care less about meeting her when she was alive, simply because she was no one important to them, or was anything special.

She was just his little commoner wife who no one gave a damn about.

He wouldn't doubt that most of his family members there, just wanted an excuse to dress up.

As they neared where everyone else was, people glanced at Hikaru uncertainly. Giving him big, heavy frowns of sympathy. He discarded them and just followed Kyouya, as he lead he could see a large white van parked at the side of the road from a distant.

Kyouya stopped moving immediately. It was so sudden that Hikaru nearly walked into his back.

"What the hell?" He muttered, looking at the white van that looked oddly like a traditional white van used for some sort of pest control, or dog catching. "Not exactly what I call professional..."

Hikaru looked over at the van, but just lightly shrugged it off. He looked over at Kyouya, and watched his facial features grow a glare of irritation. He shivered the moment they made eye contact.

He saw nothing wrong with anything. Except for the fact that, the whole day itself was wrong. "What?"

Kyouya didn't say anything, and just continued to walk where there was a couple of men gathered around. They weren't anyone Hikaru knew, so he guessed they were with the morgue crew who were bringing the casket.

They were just a couple of stranglers walking away, and no one paid attention to as they walked away. Hikaru wasn't sure why they were going over there, as he was sure they they would eventually bring her when they needed to and when the time was right, but as he didn't just want to stand around and socialize with people he didn't care about, following Kyouya seemed like the only thing worth wasting his time on.

"Is this her?" Kyouya suddenly spoke up again, as they walked up to the group of men standing near a casket, that was placed on the long heavily build table to keep off the dirt. Hikaru couldn't help but notice that he said that so casually.

"Who?" One of the men muttered. He wore a black hoodie, with the sleeves rolled up, and the hood down, which was paired with a pair of dark blue jeans. Of course. Not the professional morgue group Kyouya was expecting.

"Haruhi Fujioka."

"...Haru... What?"

Kyouya narrowed his eyes. " _Haruhi_ Fujioka."

"Oh, yeah. The dead lady."

Hikaru's mouth gaped open in shock form the way he worded it.

One of the other men elbowed the man in the arm and stepped up, wearing just a plain black t-shirt. As though they were a couple of poor people trying to attend and dress, for a rich man's funeral, but failed terribly.

"Yes It is. She's inside." He said solemnly. Placing a hand on the light brown, professionally crafted - or it seemed to be - casket. "It's... a closed casket funeral. There's no looking inside."

"I understand that." Kyouya replied just as seriously. He eyes the coffin with a with a tiny harmless glare, making Hikaru question who his friends really were. "... That's why I want you to open it."

Hikaru nearly choked on thin air.

"Kyouya." He managed to hiss, through his clenched teeth. "What the hell? No we're not."

Kyouya didn't even give Hikaru a second glance, and just waved his wrist towards him. "No... I want you to open it. You know... to see for sure that it's Haruhi. We haven't have any picture evidence since the accident. We're not even a hundred percent sure you have the right person."

"It's the right person." The other man said, narrowing his eyes. "Though the body isn't in any shape to be looked at. That's considered abuse to the corpse. We cannot let anyone see it. It's not something any loved one would want to see anyway..."

"I don't care."

"Kyouya!" Hikaru growled, clenching his fist at his side. "Knock it off. Le-... leave her alone."

Kyouya shook his head. Refusing to quit. "Do you have legal licenses?"

All three men were silent, as though they were all a little shocked to hear that. They didn't say anything for a few moment, until the middle one spoke up.

"We don't have time for this." He said, crunching up his forehead. "There are two other funerals happening today. We did out job here. We can't keep idling. Good day, Mr. Ootori."

Kyouya continued to glare at them as they all walked away from him. While Hikaru glared at him, not believing that he was actually going to open Haruhi's casket. Then his golden eyes widened at remembering what he had just said.

"Wait..." Hikaru muttered irritably as he slowly turned to look at his friend. "...What do you mean we don't know for sure that it's Haruhi? What the hell, Kyouya, you said you have pictures of the accident. And hospital documents?"

"I lied." Kyouya answered, causing Hikaru to twitch. "Well actually, not really. We do have pictures of the accident, and we do have a hospital document stating that she was at a hospital in Kyoto, but... that doesn't mean anything."

Hikaru felt light headed. He blinked a few times and watched as Kyouya stepped closer to the casket. "I noticed before those guys even got here that something was off. Though I could be completely wrong too, so lets find out."

Watching him run a hand over the soft wood of the coffin, Hikaru took a deep breath and slowly made his way over to where he was standing now. "But... What do you mean? Haruhi's... she's... Right there. Just leave it alone."

Kyouya ignored him once again and jiggled the lid of the casket. It wiggled, telling him that nothing at all was keeping him from opening it.

"Usually there'd be more secure seals on these." He grumbled, pushing his glasses up as he had been hunching over. "This isn't something I'd request to have _my_ wife buried in." Kyouya slowly looked up at Hikaru, his one eyebrow raised in suspicion.

"Done give me that look, I didn't have anything to do with any of the preparations with the funeral." Hikaru glared, watching Kyouya slowly lift the lid. "Kyouya, just leave it alone, please. Everyone's upset, but you have to accept that she's-"

"She's not here."

Hikaru's eyes widened even more. His head whipped up fast to be greeted with Kyouya's sober eyes giving him an annoyed look. "What do you mean she's not there?"

"Haruhi's not here..." Kyouya held the lid open to the casket, peering inside it, then looking back at Hikaru again. "It's empty."

"...Haruhi's not in there?"

"No. It's completely empty."

Hikaru had a strange sense of dizziness come over him, as he walked closer to the coffin that at on the table. He swallowed and hesitantly glanced inside of it.

He was right. Not soft mattress, no pillow, no cloth. No Haruhi. No nothing.

It was empty.

Hikaru's expression turned to complete and utter horror. "What the hell?! She doesn't even come to her own god damn funeral!"

Kyouya looked down inside of it again. Then back up at Hikaru as he let the lid slip from his fingers and give a loud thump when it shut. His insides were hot and he was ready to just kick the table and make the coffin fly.

He was made a fool of. He was given a call to buy those phony cheats, and he had actually believed them up until recently. Now he was the one who felt responsible for such a horrible misunderstand that something terrible happened to Haruhi - and it did - but that she also had died from it, and she still could be dead. For all they knew, Haruhi could be dead somewhere else.

What they did know though, was that Haruhi wasn't there.

Kyouya took a deep breath and adjusted his glasses again. Hikaru raised his head to look at him, and they instantly made eye contact. Hikaru looked exceptionally paler than he did five seconds ago.

There was silence between them both as they just started at each other, and the empty casket. Either said a word until Hikaru broke the silence.

"So... Haruhi's not... gone?"

"No..." Kyouya shook his head, glancing off towards the road from which the white van took off on.

"Somebody just wants us to think she is..."


	11. Chapter 11

**Back To Square One**

* * *

The service didn't happen, as the burial itself didn't take place.

Simply because, there was no one to burry.

Haruhi wasn't there. Her casket was found empty. Once Kyouya had alerted everyone that they were there for no reason and that they were praying for nothing, that Haruhi wasn't there, and most likely wasn't dead. As he explained the situation everyone was devastated and began to clear out.

Though no one's devastation could compare to Hikaru's. After they had found out that Haruhi wasn't there, and everyone started to leave. He had become just a shell again and didn't speak to anyone. He had gone off somewhere for over an hour and no one could find him.

As Huni offered to look for him, Kaoru told him that he probably needed alone time. That was when Kaoru had decided to have his own little talk with Kagami. Though of course she was nowhere to be found either.

It wasn't until Hikaru finally came back, that he was told Kagami had spent that hour with him, trying to comfort him after a breakdown. A breakdown Kagami later described as "loud and verbal".

Kaoru didn't say anything about her with his brother around. As that always got them into arguments so he kept it to himself. He wanted so bad to just grab his brother and take him away from her every time he saw her. Though if he did that, he may get questions, and those questions weren't something he wanted to answer for the umpteenth time.

He was afraid he was becoming the bad guy. He was the only one out of their group who didn't like Kagami. Haruhi's creepy lookalike. While she didn't look exactly like Haruhi, she did look so much like her, that it was as though she actually tried to make herself look like her. With her brown hair. Of course it could all just a coincidence.

Unless his brother was just into brunettes...

With everyone away from the cemetery, and at the Hitachiin's mansion for the service that wasn't necessary, everyone was gathered around Hikaru, asking him questions, trying to comfort him as they thought he needed after finding out that his wife was still no where to be found and he still had no closure or justice.

Eventually Hikaru had another small meltdown and shouted at everybody around him to get them to get away from him, and luckily, everyone who was a distant relative backed away as if they were scared for their lives, but unfortunately for him, his closer friends merely took that as a challenge and got up even more into his face.

Now the former Host club members were all crowded up in one of the many rooms of the mansion together. None of them knowing what to do next.

"...How did Kyo-chan know that Haru-chan... wasn't in there?" Huni muttered glancing at Kyouya.

Kyouya merely shrugged. "It was a hunch. I wasn't totally sure."

Hikaru, clenched his fist, glaring at Kyouya. "What the hell? You opened it without knowing for sure that she wasn't going to be in there! You asked me to look too, you a-"

Kyouya had a arms crossed, looking at the red head, interrupting him. "Well it's was a good thing we checked now, wasn't it?"

"There's something seriously wrong with you."

"If we hadn't have looked, we would have gone on thinking that Haruhi was dead and that we were burying her body. We would have stopped all investigations. We would have stopped looking for her period because we would have thought she was dead. Now we know she isn't and we have to keep looking." The raven haired man rolled his eyes behind him glasses, returning Hikaru's glare back to him. "I'd think this sort of information would make you happy. You wife isn't dead and-"

"Yeah well she isn't back either, is she? She's still missing I have no reason to be happy for anything. She wasn't there but that doesn't mean she isn't still dead."

Kaoru glanced over at his brother. You didn't have to be his twin to see that his face was red from anger. He scooted closer to him as they sat on the couch, and wanted to hug his brother, but the last time he had done that, he was pushed away, so he controlled himself. Mokoto sat right beside him, one hand on his, and the other over her stomach, so he pushed himself away from his twin and sat closer to her.

"There's a hint somewhere in all this, but I'm not really sure what it is." Kaoru grumbled, crossing his leg over the other, leaning into the sofa. "Why would those guys bring an empty casket to the funeral? Haruhi still could have died in a car accident, but... didn't want to give up the body, or... _something_?"

Huni gasped. "Why would they want Haru-chan's body!?"

Hikaru twitched.

"Not that they would want her body, but more so that they want her body because she's still alive." Kyouya explained, sitting in one of the chairs. His laptop balanced on his knees. "The people who she was, or is with, might not want us looking for her anymore, so decided to make us think she's dead."

Hikaru took a deep breath, pinching his nose. "But there was a car accident."

"That's true. There was." Kyouya spoke, not looking away from the screen of his laptop. "But if Haruhi really died in that accident, why didn't they just hand over the body instead of just giving us an empty casket? That's the question."

Tamaki, who had been silent this whole time in the corner, spoke up. "I'd say, because she was kidnapped, but I'm starting to think that, that's not the case."

Everyone looked over at him. but Hikaru merely rolled his eyes. "Let's let the wise man talk then."

The blond shook his head at that, and stepped away from the wall he stood by. "It's just that... Maybe Haruhi did-... or, was taken from the accident, but the people who she was with didn't want us to know that Haruhi's dead, so... they gave us an empty casket to make us all think that she's still alive when in reality, she isn't..."

Hikaru let out a small breath he didn't even know he was holding. "...That's... the dumbest thing I ever heard of. Why would they want us to think she's alive, dead yeah, but what would benefit them from us thinking she's alive?"

Tamaki bit his lip. "...Money? Everything's about money nowadays."

Huni scrunched up his face. "How would they get money from us thinking she's alive? None of us would give them any. I don't see the point in that."

Mori shrugged, speaking in a light tone with a stoic expression. "Or they didn't mean for Haruhi to get into an accident. They were planning on taking money from the start, but then Haruhi got into an accident so they made it seem like Haruhi's still alive, when she really isn't."

"The point is, if we don't get her back, they wouldn't get any money at all." Hikaru blurted, his fist clenched beneath his cheek. "And why is she suddenly with people? Maybe she's doing this all on her own, ya' know, if we're just throwing ideas out there."

"Haruhi-chan wants us to think she's alive when she's really dead? That doesn't really add up either..."

"Ya' think genius?"

Kaoru looked over at his brother again, and tried to touch his hand, but apparently Hikaru noticed and he quickly snatched his hand back.

"Now isn't the time to turn on each other." Kyouya narrowed his eyes at Hikaru especially. "Unfortunately we could consider all the possibilities, and still get nowhere. We've gone back to square one, and I don't even know what to do at this point."

"Somebody knows we're looking for Haruhi." He continued. "That's obvious. The minute we make plans for Kyoto, something like this happens. Somebody knows we're looking for her, so..."

He glanced back at Hikaru. "Hikaru... what would you do, if we find Haruhi? What would you do to the people?"

Hikaru scoffed, looking away. "I already told you."

"Yes, but let's be realistic."

"I was being realistic. Kyouya, if I said I'm going to kill someone, then I'm going to kill someone."

Kyouya sighed, closing his eyes. Knowing full well that he was the only smart one. "Okay fine, minus the slaughtering, lets say the "men" or whoever they are, who hypothetically have Haruhi, didn't plan on having the accident happen. Now, before the investigation got any more deep into the accident, the "men" made it seem like Haruhi died, but she didn't. They just made it seem like she did so they wouldn't get arrested."

"Or-"

"Or before Hikaru could kill them. Either way, it doesn't matter. They didn't want to take responsibilities for keepin Haruhi all this time, so they made us think that she was in the casket they gave us, when her body was somewhere else with them."

Huni made a face of disgust. "But Kyo-chan, why wouldn't they just give the "real" body to us? What would have made the difference?"

"Because the pathologists would be able to tell who or what touched Haruhi before the accident, aside from being able to tell how she died, and while they get DNA samples and swabs, they'd be able to find who they people are who have or had her before the incident. After that, the police would find them, and the'd have to go to jail."

"So... Haru-chan's not coming back then?" Huni muttered quietly, and suddenly the whole room became deathly silent. "...How are we suppose to find her then? Or is this it? Are we not going to try to find her anymore? Would it be pointless to try and find someone who isn't alive?"

"Well in this case, we can't really be sure, so nothing would be absolutely pointless." Kyouya pushed his glasses up. "Though we don't know if we're looking for a live body or a dead one. Looking for a dead one might be a little harder."

Hikaru arched his eyebrow. "Why? They can't go anywhere."

Everyone looked at him weird, but Kyouya was the only one who had anything to say. "True, but dead bodies are usually buried. Haruhi has to be alive for our sake if we want any closure to this. Unless we all want to go on with our lives not knowing what happened to her."

Hikaru glared at the floor. Biting his lower lip, he leaned into the arm of the sofa. He pinched his nose as he felt a small migraine twinge his skull but tried to ignore it to think properly.

He tried not to get excited. He told everyone not to get their hopes up, but everyone had. And this was what happened. This whole situation was like a mountain, and he had finally gotten to the top, but once there, the wind took him and pushed him back down.

He's gotten bumped and scuffed rolling multiple times down the hill, he had gotten hurt many times going up, and those wounds were opening up again.

There was so many possibilities being tosses around.

He didn't know which one he wanted to believe in, or which one made him feel better. Was there a positive outlook in this? Would there ever be a happy ending? Were they going to find her, or were they going to continue this game until their own deaths?

If Haruhi was kidnapped, why her? Out of millions of people in the country, why was it Haruhi? Was there something special about her? Of course there was, She herself was special, that's why he married her, but if she was kidnapped, what sort of special thing did those men find that made them want her?

If she was dead, then what? What was he going to do? Did she expect him to find that sort of happiness he had with her, with someone else?

If she was still alive and is by herself, why the hell hasn't she come home? She just not want to?

If she was with someone and had just left him because she didn't want to be with him anymore, what had happened that made her feel that way? When did she stop loving him?

And if she was with someone and still alive, and she was with the exact same people who took her away from him. Then everyone better be damn sure, and know, that once they find them, he was going to be responsible for a few of deaths.

That included his wife.

But that all depends on whether or not if she's even alive!

Hikaru's eyes rolled over to look again Kyouya again. Everyone had become extremely silent. As though they were pondering on their own ideas and contemplating other possibilities as he was. The only ones who were making any sounds were his twin and his sister-in-law, and even they spoke quietly, having their own personal conversation.

He rapped his heel against the floor and raised his head out of his hands. "...Kyouya, those pictures. Where are they?"

Kyouya finally glanced away form his laptop. "The pictures of what?"

"Of the accident."

"Do you really want to see them?"

"Well geez, if I didn't want to see them, I wouldn't be asking for them."

Kyouya rolled his eyes and decided to ignore that. He grabbed his bag that was laying on the floor beside him and his hand rummaged through it before pulling out a large thin envelope.

"They're in here." He muttered under his breath, tossing it to him. "They're official. Printed out from the Kyoto's news website. The station that reported it."

Hikaru grabbed the envelope and tipped it sideways to pull the small pile of photo's out. He let it sit on his lap while he grabbed the first picture and held it up. He just gave it a dirty look instantly.

Because that dirty look, masked the look of heartbreak.

Haruhi's car, that crappy red Nissan, was beside another car. It was gray and frankly Hikaru didn't care what kind it was. The whole hood to his wife's car was crushed. The windshield was cracked and looked as if it could shatter instantly if a mere feather landed on it.

Kyouya meant it literally that the whole front was smashed, and by the looks of it, it didn't look as though someone could get out of the drivers seat in one piece. The other was the same, but wasn't _as_ bad.

He never looked away from the photo. "...What if it was staged?"

After the long silence, everyone was glad someone - even Hikaru - was speaking. They all made a sound that made it was obviously that he had caught their attention.

Tamaki shot up, walking over to look over his shoulder. Secretly he was glad that Hikaru was actually showing interest to be apart of the conversation. "  
Staged? Like a play? But it was a real crash. Unless you mean Haruhi herself was staged."

Hikaru flipped through the photo's, but they were just other angles of the crash. He put them down and pulled down a few pieces of paper that were also stuffed inside the envelope. They were documents and at first glance he could tell that they were from the hospital. He wasn't interested so he just placed them aside.

He pulled out a page that had the new reporter's report on it and gave it a quick look over. It was all pointless to look at to him, but one particular part caught his eye.

It read:

 _"While investigation continues, the family member of the unidentified victim, who was the woman's husband claimed the body at the hospital. The body has been identified as, Haruhi Nakada, and she was taken from the hospital and fortunately is in a stable condition and is safely at home."_

Hikaru's eye twitched. "...Kyouya?"

"What?"

"...Have you even looked at this report?"

Kyouya looked over at him. "That one must be the newest one Tachibana printed from the website and placed in there. No, I've been busy. I haven't looked at it yet."

"Haruhi's not dead. It says so right here."

Kyouya snatched the paper away the moment Hikaru held it out. He looked at it up and down, until he finally read the part Hikaru had. "Well... I guess this answers our question. Haruhi's not dead. There's proof."

"Right, Haruhi Nakada isn't dead. Who the hell is, _Nakada_?"

Huni gasped. "We got the wrong Haru-chan!"

Kyouya looked down at the paper again, reading the name over and over again. "This is unusual..."

He flipped the page of the report, as they were conneted with a staple and narrowed his eyes into tight slits. On the other side, there was a small, square picture of Haruhi. _Their_ Haruhi.

"Okay, what the hell?"

It was unusual for Kyouya to swear so openly like Hikaru, so everyone was interested. "What Kyo-chan?"

"Kyouya," Hikaru hissed. "You said Haruhi was the one in the accident. Not Haruhi _Nakada_. You got her mixed up with someone else!"

"No, there was no mistake on my part." Kyouya said simply, the light reflected off his glasses as he pulled the small photo off the paperclip that held it there. "This is Haruhi. The reporter must have gotten her last name mixed up."

"Right, that's possible. But does _Hitachiin_ , really sound all that similar to _Nakada_?" Hikaru glared, arguing sarcastically. "Not to mention that it says "her husband" and not only is she not dead, she's actually in a stable condition at safely at home. Looks like she had a fine and dandy life." He threw his hands up. "Other than her crappy new last name, she seems fine!"

Kyouya held out the small photo of Haruhi out to him and Hikaru grabbed it as though he was targeting all his anger towards it. It made him shut up almost the second he looked at it.

"This makes less sense than it did before." He admitted, taking his glasses off to massage the bridge of his nose. "It's Haruhi. She didn't get mixed up with anyone. The husband's name doesn't pop up anywhere in the report other than 'Mister Nakada'. That doesn't give me much to work with. I want to know who he is, and why he thinks he can claim Haruhi's body for, Hikaru. Seems like it would be his job, not this... _Nakada's_."

Hikaru looked at the small picture Kyouya handed him, and looked at it silently. It was a picture of _his_ Haruhi, and that made his heart twinge a little. It had been awhile since he had seen her face, as he had taken everything that had her face, out of his house and out of his eyesight. Looking at her now, made it hurt.

Looking at the picture, and at her face opened old wounds he thought, healed. Not in a long tie had he felt the need to just hold her so bad in such a long time.

He had felt that way always, since she left, but now, the feeling was ten times worse and he just wanted to hold her. His arms ached from him wanting to, and his heart ached because he knew he couldn't. And his brain ached because he didn't know why.

Then suddenly, something about the picture got him and he gasped outwards.

"Holy shit..."

Kaoru looked at his brother in concern. "What's the matter, Hika?"

"This is, Haruhi..."

Kaoru nodded, laying his hand on his brother's. "I know."

"No, but this is, Haruhi!"

"We know, Hikaru."

"No, this is a private picture! I don't get It. How the hell did the news station get ahold of it? Not to mention it's an old one. This picture was taken almost two years ago." Hikaru bit his tongue and looked at Kyouya again, gripping the tip of the picture in his fingers, flapping it in the air for someone else to grab it. "Explain."

Kyouya raised his brow. "I don't understand what you're getting at."

"This picture right here is a private photo. Like... _really_ private. I want to know how anyone knows about it."

"That's the picture that was on the news station and the papers. It's not really private."

"It should be! It was taken on Haruhi's phone over two years ago. It's as private of pictures as pictures get!"

The picture was of Haruhi, who wore her hair back with a loose clip. She wore a jacket, as that was the only piece of clothing that could be seen from the size of the photo, and she was chewing on a pencil. It was a very casual photo and not one of Haruhi's best.

It was laid back Haruhi who looked irritated that her work was being interrupted from someone taking her picture without her permission.

It was a photo he took, with Haruhi's phone that one day. It was private. And while it wasn't inappropriate. It was still private and he wanted to know how it got out to the public.

Kyouya closed his laptop. "Whoever Haruhi is with right now, has her phone and obviously used that picture for the public. It makes sense they'd use such a normal photo. With Haruhi's past lifestyle with Hikaru she's given the public an image of a famous fashion designer's wife with make-up and fancy clothes. No body knows what the real Haruhi looks like without all that. She looks like a normal "commoner" like everyone thinks she is."

"With a fake name..."

"With a what?"

"A fake name. Nakada is just a cover up. And a horrible cover up, whether it it was someone else or Haruhi herself who did it, Hitachiin is still legally her last name, she just has this new last name for the public so no one knows who she is, and so we wouldn't find her in the news reports."

Kyouya smirked. "...Finally, you're being helpful."

"Shut up."

* * *

Was there something like that?

Was it something this easy? Why hadn't any of them noticed? Why hadn't anyone figured this out yet?

More importantly... Why hadn't _he_ figured it out yet?

Why hasn't he figured anything out yet? He usually wouldn't need any help figuring anything out. This was becoming more of a nuisance than before.

Just when he thought he had Haruhi, she slipped through their fingers and now they were back to square one. This hadn't been the first time when they though they found her. No... There was more times, so many more times.

A couple of months ago, when the search parties really got big, a woman came down to the police station, answering to the missing report that was placed. She looked a lot like her. With brown hair, brown eyes, flat chest. (Some of the noted characteristics that Hikaru wrote on the report) Everyone at the police station swore it was her.

It turned out that she wasn't, and she was just some girl who wanted to be the wife of a famous fashion designer. She was a fake, pretending to be, Haruhi.

There had been many people before, claiming that they found her, most did it for the money Hikaru offered, some did it just to be married to one of the hottest men in Japan. They had fooled some of them, but Hikaru never believed anything they said.

Hikaru never believed anything other than what he told himself. That had gotten on Kyouya's nerves many times, especially now, when he was trying to get him to believe the truth.

He hated hurting his friend that way. He had told him, and got his hopes up, when he had said that he found her. Only to have to hurt him, by saying his wife was dead. Now again, he had gotten his hopes up once more, with the report them found, stating that Haruhi was alive.

Was she alive?

Or was this 'Haruhi Nakada' really just _Haruhi Nakada_ and not their Haruhi who they've been looking for?

How many times more would they have to suffer? How many more times was this going to happen? When was it going to end?

He needed to find Haruhi. He needed to find her so he could make up for all the heartache he caused his friend. He felt terrible, knowing that he was the one raising all the hope, and was the one letting everyone down.

Sticking his hands into the pockets of his jacket, Kyouya let out a much deserved sigh and listened to his own footsteps against the tile of one of the long hallways in the Hitachiin mansion.

Hikaru had ran off somewhere after their group's little discussion, and no one knew where. They decided to give him some space and not follow him. God only knew where he was at now though.

He ran his hand messily through his already disheveled raven hair and passed a long line of doors. He heard a voice ring clear from behind one door, making his feet stop immediately.

 _"No-... Well how was I supposed to know? She was in the home, so I had her moved. I didn't think that would happen."_

Kyouya arched his eyebrow, glancing towards the door, trying to hear better.

 _"Don't yell into my ear. I told you, you wont get in trouble. It was a misunderstanding, that's all they see it as."_

The voice sounded familiar, but it was muffled too much by the heavy door, that he couldn't pinpoint who was talking.

 _"Well maybe you should think of a better name for it then. Of course the "wife house" would sound suspicious. That's not problem. I have my own things to worry about over here. You would not believe how stubborn he is."_

Kyouya arched his eyebrow. _...He?_

 _"No, no. That's not necessary. If she's in capable hands now that's fine. I don't want anything to happen to her, despite the trouble she's caused me and the money this whole thing is costing me. I'm almost completely drained. Why do you charge so much? It's just one person."_

 _"Yeah, yeah, I can't deal with her . Honesty, I couldn't care less anymore. Just let Katsu do whatever. Tell him he can do whatever he wants as long as he doesn't charge me for it."_

Suddenly the door swung open, and fluttered Kyouya's hair with a little patch of wind it rattled up. He gave a little gasp inwards and stood here wordless without moving an inch. Gaping at the one who stood in front of him.

"...Kagami?"

Standing in the doorway, with her hand on the doorframe, Kagami's lips parted in astonishment at finding someone right in front of her after opening the door. She swallowed silently. "...Mister Ootori?"

He narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing up here? Upstairs isn't for guests."

"...I was looking for, Hikaru. And what are you doing up here than? Aren't you a quest as well?"

"I wouldn't call myself a guest. As I didn't need an invitation to come here."

"Right. Of course..."

They stared at each other for a few more, long, painfully silent moments before Kagami looked away, bowing her head to the floor awkwardly and began walking away. "Excuse me."

"Who were you talking to?"

She stopped and turned back to look at him. "...Who was I _what_?"

"You heard me." Kyouya said again, looking at her. "Who were you talking to?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Mister Ootori. But I can assure you, it's none of your business."

With that, Kagami turned back and continued to walk away. Leaving Kyouya with his unanswered question.


	12. Chapter 12

**Here Without You**

* * *

This particular day hadn't started off well for anyone. Hikaru especially, but everyone was feeling a sense of hurt and disappointment.

Up to this point, Haruhi had been missing for almost seventeen months. A year and a half. Over the course of this, everyone had lost a lot of sleep, weight, and their glorious ivory skin tone, and had gotten a little paler.

Haruhi's long term disappearance had taken a toll on everyone, much as Hikaru would like to say that no one gave a damn, as it wasn't their wife who had gone missing, but the girl they had gone to highschool with and had been friends with every since, was now missing, and they couldn't go on with life without knowing what happened to her.

Despite them, it had taken the biggest toll on Hikaru, and they all new that.

He never slept, which caused the dark circles under his eyes. He had a terrible sleep schedule, where he'd lay awake all night, fall asleep in the morning, wake up too late to go to work or to have breakfast. He'd have a late lunch which made him skip dinner. You'd be lucky to get two meals into him everyday.

He had lost weight, they could tell but no one dared to ask him how much. He looked pale from lack of sleep. He was grumpy because of that. Now, if you had shown everyone a picture of him of what he looked like two years ago, and a picture of what he looked now, you'd have to look at each picture for awhile before you'd realize that he was the same person.

He was paler, skinnier, meaner, and looked a lot older than he should.

And Kaoru never would have been able to guess that a woman would ever have this effect on his beloved twin brother.

Kaoru thought of this as he sat at his desk in his home office. Ever since Haruhi left, Hikaru had been taking a lot of breaks from work. He might have worked a total of maybe a hundred and forty hours of work in the last year and a half, so he had taken up most of it.

He wiggled his pencil in his fingers and twirled it around a few times before sticking it under his nose to looked through his papers. He was the designer of the two of them, while his brother was more so with the finances and accounts, as his brother was always better with numbers, but now he had taken both sides on by himself, because well... somebody had to do it. His mother luckily helped him a lot when he needed her to.

Laying on the loveseat on the other side of the office, was his beautiful, crabby, pregnant wife. He looked up and raised his eyebrow, noticing that her hand was draped over her forehead, looking asleep.

"Moko," he muttered, talking had made him drop his pencil. "What's the matter?"

Mokoto turned her head to look at him, dropping her hands from her face. "Hungry." Was all she said.

He only looked back at his papers. "Do you want me to go and make something?"

"And let you nearly burn the kitchen down again? No, I'd rather not have to clean up the mess."

He pouted. "I've gotten better at it."

She ignore that and plaid a hand on her stomach as she turned over on her side. "Have you talked to Hikaru today? I tried to call him earlier, but he wouldn't answer me."

Kaoru tightened his lips. "Figures. I tried to call him, too, but it just went to voicemail... three times." He looked back at his papers, flipping through a stack that was stuck together with staples. "It's a bad day for him today I guess, so maybe that's why he doesn't want to talk to anyone."

Mokoto sighed, turning back over to lay on her back. "...Your anniversary shouldn't be a bad day for you..."

Kaoru only nodded in agreement, not looking away. "This is the second anniversary of theirs that she's missed. You know he didn't take the last one too well. I was hoping we would have found her before this one but..."

"I know... It's been hard on him and he doesn't want to talk about it to anyone." She said lightly. "My mother sent him an anniversary card, but earlier today she called and said that he had sent the card back to her with sharpie written all over it."

"Probably because she sent the card to him with a picture of him and Haruhi inside of it."

"I hope he won't have hard feelings for her for long. She didn't mean anything by that. It was just a custom card she made."

"I know. Your mother's a sweet old lady, but... I don't think he likes her that much, because of the worst of times she mentions Haruhi straight to his face."

Mokoto grabbed the head of the couch to help her sit up. She was almost four months pregnant now, and her belly was showing. Though luckily she just looked fat and not pregnant and not everyone could tell. Kyouya however, figured it out the most recent time he had saw her, but Kaoru told him not to say anything.

It had two weeks since Haruhi's fake funeral, and today was Hikaru and Haruhi's wedding anniversary. He and Haruhi had been married for four years now. They had been married for two and a half years before she went missing. They only wished that they'd find her soon, before Hikaru would have to spend another anniversary alone.

Kaoru looked at his wife again, and watched as she struggled but managed to sit up. Her belly wasn't that big, and he could only guess that she was just being lazy and over dramatic. "Where are you going? I though we were hanging out?"

She just gave him a weird look. "I'm hungry."

"But we had lunch just a little while ago..."

"I ate for myself then. The baby's hungry and wants cookies."

He blinked. "...Hardly a proper meal."

"Maybe some brownies too."

"Just add cake to the list, why don't ya?"

"That sounds good too."

"Don't forget donuts."

Mokoto scowled. "I'm not kidding, I'm getting cookies."

"We don't have cookies."

"That's why I'm going to the store to get cookies, dummy." She shook her head, holding her arms up over her head to stretch. "I'm going to the store. FYI, I'm taking your car, and your money."

Kaoru tilted his head. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"If you come with me, how am I suppose to take your money and secretly go to the mall after I get cookies?" She looked at him, adjusting her shirt. "Don't be shocked if I give your credit card back and it's maxed out."

He grinned. "I have a feeling we're gonna have a fat kid."

She just shrugged. "I don't care how fat it is. Just as long as I can loose the weight as soon as it's out."

Kaoru leaned forward in his chair as she walked up to him. Her small blossoming stomach rubbed against the edge of his desk as she leaned closer to him. His lips curved upwards as she gave him aa quick kiss and played with her hair, trying to get her to make it last longer.

That didn't work, as she pulled away instantly and gave his cheek a small pat. "I'm leaving." She said, standing up straight. "Don't wait up. I'm also stopping by my mothers house."

He sighed, sitting back into his chair, throwing his feet onto the desk. "You sure you don't want me to come with you?"

"I'm pregnant, not handicap."

He waved his hand. "Alright fine. Be back before dinner though. We're going to Hikaru's place."

She tried to smile, but that didn't come. "...Then I'll buy him cookies, too."

"He won't take them."

"Double chocolate chip, then."

* * *

Even if it was the evening of a Wednesday, the maids were nowhere to be found. Because the maids were not wanted that day so obvious reasons.

They weren't wanted to cook, or clean, or to talk.

Because Hikaru didn't want them around to do any of those things. He had told them so in a very aggressive, non-Hikaru way. One of his eldest maids, who was in her forties, walked up to him and asked what he wanted her to make for dinner, and he had shouted at her.

None of them said anything else to him, and after they had done a few touchups to the cleaning, and left something for their boss to eat -despite what he said- they left. They didn't blame him for being in a bad mood, but they also didn't want to be around him when he was.

He didn't mean to shout at them, and he didn't want to shout, but he wasn't in a good mood and he couldn't help it. It was as though shouting at everyone was in his nature now.

He was usually fine on random days. He could control himself and no say a thing. Today though, it hurt. Today opened his already damaged wounds, and seemed to only pour salt on them to make them sting.

Last night he had managed to get the best night of sleep he had in a long time, but the moment he woke up, snuggled into his pillow after a comforting dream, he started to cry after he had realized what day it was.

He hid his face into his pillow as the tears strung his eyes, and hadn't gotten out of bed until almost two hours after that.

A year ago, when it was their third anniversary, he had been too busy and his time was too occupied to think about it, and didn't even celebrate it. But this time, he wasn't doing anything, and his mind was just set on one thing.

Haruhi...

And he couldn't get away from her.

All day long, it had been just been about her. he wouldn't worry about her as much, but today he realized how much he missed, and today he realized that his wife had been missing for over a year. He had been without her for so long, and still couldn't get her out of his head.

How long did she want to torture him like this? What was she doing today? Or what was she not doing?

It hurt because he didn't know whether or not his wife ever coming back, and it brought him back to his regular questions he asked himself almost everyday.

Was she with someone else? Was she dead? Was she happy, or not?

Screw her if she was, but... screw everyone else if she wasn't.

Now, he sat on the couch, with his head in his hands. His elbows rested on his knees as fresh tears started to form and a large painful headache throbbed the side of his skull. He wiped under his eyes with his wrists and looked up to grab and finish off his glass of hot red wine.

Or better yet, finish off his fifth glass of wine.

It was that moment when he realized that his large alcohol consumption that evening, might be the cause of his migraine.

His family and friends, over the course of the last year, and sent him many gifts full of things that they thought would make him feel better about Haruhi. Though after the funeral, there was many gifts sent to his house, and most were some of the finest red and white wine, so of course... what better day to get rid of it all than today?

What better day to get drunk for the first time since his twenty-first birthday, besides his anniversary? Which he had to spend alone, for the second time. Because his wife was missing, and most likely could be dead.

Haruhi never liked alcohol, and only drank champagne on occasions, so they always had that special stash, but he never drank just because he felt like it. He had always been to classy for that, he had told her one time.

Not this time.

Now he drank because of the stress, trying to relieve it. His body almost ached from the stress of lack of sleep, and over working himself at night with his computer and the missing reports and research.

He drank because of the sadness, hoping it would make him forget about it. His sadness had taken over him so much that he had no other feeling, other than regret, guilt, and shame. Shame because this is how his life was now. And a random female is what made him like this.

And he drank, trying to ease the pain of it all, but it wasn't working. It still hurt, and now it hurt even more. It felt as though his heart was bleeding, and it wouldn't stop.

He was using alcohol as a temporary Band-Aid. But it wasn't working for him to forget her. The more cups he poured himself, (he finished off the first bottle and was half way done with his second one) it only made him think of her more, and think that the only reason for his drinking, was because of her.

Was this how he was going to become for the rest of his life? His father-in-law worked at a tranny bar and got drunk regularly because of where he worked. Did he do it for the sadness too? For his own wife who was taken from him earlier in their marriage?

Was he going to be like this everyday? Have bottles of this hated, yet satisfying liquid scattered across his house like it was now?

Was he going to become this new person who he already hated? Was he going to stay like this?

A rough, painful twinge stabbed his heart as he downed another glass. He placed his empty goblet on the coffee table and tangled his fingers into his bangs as he leaned into the couch. He had drank so much that he was beginning to feel sick.

Hot tears made their way onto his face again as he hid his face with his palms. His shoulders shook as he uncontrollably sobbed into his hands. He wasn't ashamed anymore. The only thing the alcohol managed to do was take away his cares.

"Goddammit." He whispered though a clenched jaw. _Just kill me now..._ He thought. Talking to the alcohol. "Dammit, dammit... dammit."

Then, he poured himself another glass. Leaned back into the couch, and finished it. Only to lean forward once he was done, to pour more. He knew it was bad, and knew he should stop, but why? Just because he should, didn't mean he couldn't. There was no one to stop him.

No one was there to stop him from swallowing himself up in his self-pity. He was alone, and probably would be forever.

Hikaru opened his eyes again. Tears glazed his golden irises as he looked up at his glass that was empty again and noticed that he had now gone through two whole bottles of wine. Two whole bottles by himself.

He felt sick to his stomach, his head hurt, and he was indeed drunk.

He was drunk, and despite what he had heard. It didn't felt good. He felt like crap.

Hikaru reached for his glass again, and sat p straight to get another bottle from the cabinet, but stopped. He closed his eyes against the pain in his head and slowly say back. The taste of it had gotten to him and made his tongue addictive to the flavor. His body wanted more, but he couldn't take anymore. He was at war with himself.

He took a deep breath and wiped his forehead. His eyes were red and his cheeks were wet and shined with his past tears. He let his bangs go and fell sideways onto the couch, letting his cheek hit the cushion.

"Haruhi..." He whispered her name through a hoarse breath. Clenching his fist beside his face. Never had he let himself be so emotional, but now he didn't care. He let himself cry.

 _Come back..._

* * *

 _It was the middle of September, and the Host Club was having it's reunion. Everyone had gone off to their universities for their studies in different countries, and now that they had all graduated, they decided to meet up at Ouran in the third music room._

 _Not only had the former host club members come, but some of their old customers heard of their reunion and came too, to see and be friends with their favorite hosts._

 _Soft piano music played from the corner, as a professional pianist played with it. Girls danced with the host's who were in a relationship, and danced with their own partners. It was loud with random chatter, but there was a certain brunette who was too busy eating to talk to anyone._

 _It was announced before she left for law school that she was a girl, and all the other girls took it better than they thought they would. Everyone was happy._

 _She happily chewed on her tuna as she sat in the corner away from everyone, and sipped her tea. Everyone ignored her and let her do as she pleased so she was happy. Or that's what everyone thought, from the look on her face._

 _She was happily eating however, until something interrupted her._

 _And that something, was her fork of tuna being taken away right before she opened her mouth to eat it._

 _She grunted in displeasure. "Hika..."_

 _"Girlfriend." Hikaru's mocked her whine with a smirk. "Get up. If you haven't noticed. I've danced with everyone except my girlfriend."_

 _Haruhi frowned. "That's not my problem. You took my food."_

 _"Obviously babe. I think you've had enough anyway. You'll give yourself a stomachache."_

 _"But I haven't finished my plate yet-"_

 _He rolled his eyes. "This is your second serving. I've been watching you."_

 _Before she cold complain more about her still being hungry despite that fact, her boyfriend of five years grabbed her hand and pulled her off her chair. She sighed and gave up. She had gotten used to her food being taken away from her all the time anyway._

 _He gripped her hand tighter after she stopped resisting and started to pull her across the room. It was getting late and some people were already leaving because the sun was going down, but the former hosts were still there, and since Kaoru was too busy hanging out with his serious girlfriend, Mokoto, he wasn't paying attention to his twin._

 _She could only guess that he was bored._

 _Then, as he opened the door to the room they were in, and started to pull her out, she stopped and tried to tug her hand back._

 _"Hika," she grumbled, pulling her hand, trying to make him let go. "Where are we going? I thought you wanted to dance? If we're leaving could I at least finish my-"_

 _"We're not leaving yet." He muttered under his breath, quiet shutting the door. Making sure no one heard them leave. "I just... want to go somewhere."_

 _"...You're face looks hot."_

 _"Strange time to start flirting, Haru, but I'll take it..."_

 _She crinkled her nose. "No- I mean... your face looks red."_

 _He looked down at her, and indeed his cheeks were a bit more pink than they usually were, but he just shook his head and waved his hand towards her to dismiss it. "It's nothing... just follow me."_

 _He had said that, but she didn't need to obey since he still had a tight grip on her hand. She looked at him as she struggled not to trip over her own feet as he dragged her. "Are you getting sick?"_

 _"I will be sick if you don't hurry up."_

 _"...How would me walking faster prevent you from-"_

 _"Let's not put logic to what I say, Haruhi, okay? It's better for the both of us."_

 _She scowled in confusion, but ignored him. It was probably better for them both if she didn't think too much about what he said. His way of thinking always confused her. "Where are we going?"_

 _"Somewhere."_

 _"But where?"_

 _"When I say somewhere, I mean, it's a secret and I don't want to tell you, kitten, so shush."_

 _Haruhi shot him a grimace of annoyance. "...You pick he oddest of times to pull me away from something I'm doing."_

 _He stopped in his tracks and turned around, pressing his finger to her lips. "Shhh, it's better that you stay on your good side with me."_

 _She turned her face from his hand. "That's gonna be hard."_

 _He would have shot her a sharp remark to that, but he just gave her a cheeky grin and turned back around, and continued to pull her down the hallway. They talked and have small random conversations with each other as he led her to where he wanted to take her. They talked about Kaoru and Mokoto, and their relationship and how it was effecting him._

 _Kaoru had met Mokoto in their first year of college but didn't ask her out until a year later. They had been dating for almost four years now, and Hikaru couldn't be happier for his twin. He had Haruhi, and he wanted his brother to have that sort of happiness with someone like he did, even if that meant they'd have to grow apart from each other and be more independent._

 _Being independent had gotten easier on the both of them after they had both found someone they could be dependent on again, and in return, have then depend on them._

 _Love had made both, Hikaru and Kaoru more mature, and even if they still were closer than more siblings, they could live away from each other, and have their own lives. They talked to each other when they had time to spare and not every fifteen minutes._

 _He was twenty-two and she was twenty-one, and they had been dating for almost five years, since he had asked her out the first year of university. Some would think that it was impossible to stay with someone, who you knew since you were a teenager, and still be with them until you were an adult, but it wasn't for them._

 _They had broken up twice over the course of those five years, because they got on each other's nerves too many times to count, but they had always gotten back together, because they split over dumb things and always tried to make things work._

 _Hikaru did it, not only because he liked her too much to not date her, but because his brother had Mokoto and he was terrified to be alone._

 _Now, he was pulling her down another hallway, only stopping to open one of the large double doors that led out to one of the many balcony's of the giant school._

 _She could only stare at the back of his head with a disinterest expression. "...I don't understand-"_

 _"You don't have to, darling."_

 _"Why do you keep saying darling? You usually only say that when I do something dumb. Which isn't very often."_

 _"I..." he blinked. "I like it?"_

 _"Am I going to have a million nicknames or are we going to stick with one?"_

 _"Depends on my mood."_

 _She opened her mouth, probably to most likely continue on asking what sort of mood would have which nickname, but he turned back around and shut the door behind them hurriedly, as though he was afraid of someone following them._

 _"Don't make me call you honeybunches in public," he said winking at her playfully before gripping her wrist with resistance and pulling her more outside, closer to the rail. "I just wanted to show you something out here."_

 _Haruhi looked around with her eyes half open. She saw Hikaru, then turned her head, nothing was there, so she turned to look back at him before looking off to the other side, and still... nothing was there._

 _She looked back at him. "...I don't see anything. Kinda pointless if-"_

 _"It's not on the ground." He rolled his eyes. Then his eyes widened and he stuck his hand into his pocket. A look of relief seemed to have flashed across his face before he looked back at her. "I... it's up there!"_

 _Haruhi blinked. Her eyes followng his hand, which pointed to the sky. "...I still don't see what I'm looking at. Is it a magic flying carpet? We're on the balcony. I could only guess that you had something stupid like that made to impress me."_

 _He frowned. His forehead gaining odd creases. "I dont' do stupid things to impress you."_

 _"Remember the time when you brought that stupid large hot air balloon to my-"_

 _"Yeah, well that wasn't to impress you."_

 _"And then there was that time-"_

 _"Honey, I did not bring you out here to be embarrassed by you in front of a bunch of fireflies." He sighed, grabbing her hand, pulling her closer to him. Her nose grazed the chest of his shirt, but he grabbed her shoulders and jerked her forward to look out the balcony. "Look, see?"_

 _"..."_

 _She looked up, then looked down. She didn't say anything so she looked left, then right. "I still don't see anything, Hikaru. If you just wanted me to pay attention to you, you could have just ate with me, I was-"_

 _"No, it's right there!" He almost shouted, his face now almost beat red. His one hand grasped her chin, and his other hand pointed to the sky, while her back leaned up against his chest. "See it?"_

 _"..."_

 _"..."_

 _"...No."_

 _"The sunset, Haru! Geez, it's not like it takes up the whole freaking sky, or anything," he blurted out sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Do you see it, or do I need to get you a magnify glass?"_

 _Haruhi glared, and resisted the urge to elbow him in the stomach. She turned and glared at him, throwing her arm out to the side. "You took my tuna away to show me the sunset? Why?"_

 _He looked down at her, looking little hurt, but that look quickly was replaced with a playful grin. "Because it's pretty. I saw it a little earlier and It reminded me of you."_

 _She only scoffed in amusement. "Why?"_

 _"...Do I have to have a reason?"_

 _"It'd make sense if you did."_

 _"Well I don't."_

 _Haruhi let out a long breath in hopelessness for her boyfriend. He held her hand tighter as he looked up at the sky. She really couldn't see what was so important. Then he started looking around anxiously until his eyes found hers again._

 _Then he stopped and just stared her. She blinked at him dumbly as his stare intensified and become a little more awkward as though he had lost all train of thought._

 _She snorted. "What'd you bring me out here for? I'm still hungry."_

 _"Do you ever stop thinking about food?" He blurted out, scrunching up his face as he looked down at her. He looked around again and mouthed a swear word. She looked at him weird, but didn't get the chance to ask what was wrong with him, before he moved his hand from hers to grip her wrist. Her eyes widened as he pulled her towards him again._

 _She squeaked but didn't get to say much as Hikaru wrapped his arm around her lower back and pulled her up slightly onto her tiptoes and roughly captured her lips in his. Her hands gripped the front of his shirt as if she thought she'd loose her balance._

 _The kiss softened instantly and his other hand found her face and cupped her cheek. Haruhi's hands didn't leave his shirt but she eased into him more. The toes of her shoes were stepping on the front of her dress she was wearing that night (courtesy from Hikaru's mother) but she didn't care, as she had been stepping on the darn thing all day._

 _He lent forward more, and pulling her closer to close that tiny gap between their bodies, and as there was a tiny wolf whistle from off into the distance, they knew someone was watching them and they clumsily, and reluctantly pulled apart from each other._

 _But Hikaru still didn't let her go. His arms were still around her tightly as he was squeezing her as hard as he dared without crushing her in his strong arms he built up from the gym._

 _He liked to think he was the strongest in the world after going to the gym for two weeks, but Haruhi still thought he as a far cry from anything. She didn't say anything to burst his ego though, so she didn't say anything, so she was most likely the main reason for his ego._

 _As she was just starting to get comfortable though, Hikaru pulled away with his hands on her shoulders, and moved one of hand to hold her as he knelt down. It was a sudden movement she wasn't planning on so she stumbled a little when his knee touched the ground._

 _She looked at him weird. "...Hika?"_

 _"Haruhi."_

 _"What're you doing?"_

 _Hikaru looked up at her, then flustered darkly and looked away. "Dying."_

 _"You're dying?"_

 _"It feels like it."_

 _She snorted. She used a finger to pull a straggling piece of hair from her face and looked down again. Haruhi was beginning to question her boyfriends sanity level until she saw his free hand secretly move into his blazer pocket of his suit._

 _Her eyes widen and she didn't move a muscle, as he pulled out a dark purple velvet box. "...Oh my god."_

 _He wasn't looked at her yet, but she saw him smirk at her words, knowing that she knew what he was doing. "...Haruhi."_

 _"Hikaru..."_

 _"I uh..." He paused, waiting to think of the right words he had shamefully rehearsed with Kaoru. "...I... love you."_

 _"I love you, too, Hikaru."_

 _"And I... want to wake up next to you every morning, and-"_

 _"You kind of already do."_

 _"That doesn't count! Not as a couple. I don't want to just live in your apartment for the rest of our lives-"_

 _"But sometimes I go to your apartment-"_

 _"Focus babe, I'm asking you if you'd want us to wake up next to each other as a married couple, not as just couple cause some people actually frown upon that in China."_

 _"What exactly are you asking me? If I would agree with you? Because I think you're making this a little more complicated than-"_

 _"Haruhi! I'm asking you if you want to... marry me." He grumbled, looking down, feeling his face burn. "I really want you to live with me in our own house. Not in one of our apartments, cause I still technically live in the same one with my brother and you still kind of live with your dad so... If you want to, I'll buy you all the tuna you want whenever you want. You don't have to wait for special occasions to have any, and I'll buy the biggest house on the market so you don't have to-"_

 _She sighed, sitting on her knees to be at the same eye level as him. "Whoa, okay, stop. I don't need a giant house - tuna maybe would be cool - but you don't have to pamper me into marrying you that just-"_

 _"I need a big house... I have over ten maids, what am I suppose to do with them?"_

 _Her shoulders dropped. "I don't need maids either."_

 _"If you can handle me, then I'm sure you can handle my maids."_

 _"If so, then you have to handle me shopping with coupons."_

 _He grimaced. "Coupons? Are you sure those aren't illegal?"_

 _She tried fruitlessly not to smile. "Shut up."_

 _Hikaru grinned. Which them both on their knees, he entwined their fingers together. He pulled the ring out and threw the box over his shoulder before grabbing her left hand. He left comfortable now. "Will you marry me, Haruhi?"_

 _"We'd look a little weird if I said, no."_

 _"If you say no, I'll be sure to let everyone know, while I throw the biggest hissy fit you've ever seen."_

 _She laughed. "Then I guess I am."_

 _"So?"_

 _"Yes." Haruhi snickered. She nodded and grabbed his face in both her hands. Their lips brushed for just a second, until Hikaru pulled her closer, deepening their kiss. Her arms snaked around his neck as she practically threw herself at him, making him almost fall over but he caught himself with his hand on the ground._

 _And they didn't move from that stop until Tamaki had gone looking for them and found them in the same position._

* * *

And now, laying on his back on the couch, with him arm thrown over his face. Hikaru had one more glass of wine before he decided that he couldn't take anymore, and now, just laid there, like he had nothing else to live for.

And in reality, that feeling couldn't be more truer. His empty shell he had mentioned earlier, was now even more empty if that was possible.

He laid there, motionless. The wine was getting to him. His head throbbed so bad that if he opened his eyes, he as afraid there would be more tears.

He still love her, and he wanted her back, but... hated her for leaving, and being gone for so long.

If she appeared suddenly at the door, he would take her back in a heart beat, and he wouldn't let her go. He'd never let her go again.

But she wasn't going to, and he knew that.

The emptiness, was never going to be full again. Because the only person who he ever loved with everything, was gone. And he didn't know when she was coming back. Maybe she never was.

Then, there was a knock at the door.

He ignored it. It wasn't Haruhi, and he wasn't interested. He just wanted to lay there and die. He wanted to puke.

Quite literally.

Hikaru turned over to lay on his side. His head pillowed on his arm. His stomach hurt and he couldn't be sure or not that he had just given himself alcohol poisoning.

It had just occurred to him that drinking two whole bottles of wine, probably wasn't healthy and he was probably dying.

He drank more in that one evening, than he did in his life. Never, had he been this drunk before.

Why was alcohol everyone's main medication for heartbreak? It didn't help. Nothing was going to help.

There was another series of knocks...

Tears formed again, and he didn't stop them. The alcohol in his system didn't care about the tears. The alcohol didn't care if he looked pathetic. The alcohol didn't care if it was making him this way.

He grabbed one of the small throw pillows that went to the couch, and held it to his face; _hard_. He pressed it to his face and held his breath. His head throbbed so painfully he wanted to cry more. His stomach was on the verge of turning. His heart bled from the inside, and oozed from the slits that were left in it after being stabbed with the sharpest knife of betrayal.

Betrayal, because she said she was coming home...

But she never did.

She was never coming... _home_.

He cried into the pillow. The deep fabric managed to hide his shamefully hard sobs. _Harder_ , he pressed it to his face. _Harder_.

 _Just stop breathing..._

 _Just stop._

 _I don't want to hurt._

 _I can't do this anymore._

He thought of her, so his arms gave up on the pressure. What would she say to this? What would she say to him about what he was doing? Drinking until he couldn't take to drink anymore, crying, holding his breath?

Would she shake her head at him, or beg him to stop hurting himself? Would his tears make her cry too? Would she help him?

He didn't know.

He didn't know her anymore. He didn't know what kind of person she is, or was. He didn't know what she'd do, and he didn't care. The alcohol just couldn't give a damn.

 _So that's what it is..._

Alcohol just drained all your cares away. Alcohol was just a temporary Band-Aid. All these cares would be back in the morning, along with an even worse headache than before.

Then there was footsteps.

Light, tip-toeing footsteps against the tile of the hallway to his home. They were muffled from the pillow that was still laying on his face, but he heard them as they got closer. The foot steps moved from the tile, to the hardwood of the living room, and he knew someone was there with him. Someone was looking at him.

But he didn't care.

"...Hika, what're you-... oh my god, Hikaru?"

He heard that female voice, but he didn't move. His heard hurt too much to even try.

There was a few more small footsteps until that person got to the couch where he laid down at. A small hand was placed over his and he flinched when the pillow was taken from him.

He squinted at the light he had adjusted himself not to see and groaned as he moved his arm over his face again.

"Hikaru, are you okay? do you need something?" The voice said again, with lightness of a kitten. "Were you sleeping? I'm sorry. I just got worried when you weren't answering my calls, and then you didn't open the door. I was just making sure you were home."

He curled his nose as he moved his arm and looked into the face of who was kneeling above him. Brown hair, deep brown eyes. A soft, comforting voice.

"...Haruhi?"

"Kagami," she said, running her hand over his forehead. "It's Kagami... Haruhi's gone, remember? Are you okay?"

"...No."

Kagami looked down at him with a frown built deep into her beautiful features. "What happened? Did-... where you drinking? Your breath smells horrible. Did you... drink all this?"

Hikaru gripped the fabric of the pillow. He closed his eyes tightly and turned his head. "...Haruhi..."

"Kagami."

"No... Haruhi."

Her shoulders dropped, as she looked at him with a sympathetic stare. "Sure... I could be, Haruhi."

 _He's drunk._

Her hand felt his forehead again, brushing his bangs out of the way. Comfortingly, she grabbed his free hand and entwined their fingers like lace. "You're hot."

With his eyes closed, he gripped her hand. "...Don't leave me."

She looked down at him and gave him a tiny, assuring smile. "I won't. I promise."

"You already did."

"That was wrong of me... I'm sorry."

His shoulders shook, so she placed her other hand on one. "...It's okay, calm down."

He turned his face. Facing her now, but his eyes still squeezed shut. "Don't leave me again."

"I won't."

"...I can't do this anymore."

"You don't have to. I'm right here."

"I don't want to be alone anymore..."

She stroked his hair soothingly. "You're not alone anymore, Hikaru. Shh... it's okay now. I'm right here. I'm never going to leave you again, you don't have to be alone anymore."

That was comforting. Hikaru, with his cheek against the cushion, opened his eyes slightly, and was greeted with two large brown eyes staring back at him. Two large brown eyes he thought he'd never see again. She was never going to leave him again. She wasn't going to be alone anymore. He found _her_.

He stared at her, his lips quivering. "...Haruhi?"

"I'm right here."

His heart hurt.

"...I love you."

Kagami bit her upper lip, and nodded. "I love you, too."

And that was the needle that had pierced him. He looked at her and felt the tears again. He didn't move, but his arms moved up and gently cupped both of her cheeks. Her eyes widened at the contact of his hands, and gave a small, suppressed squeak as he pulled her face down to meet his.

She froze as his lips brushed against hers, and could only press her hand against the rim of the couch cushion to help her keep herself steady. He was kissing her. His tongue ran over her bottom lip and her first impulse was to lean into him.

"Hika..." She managed, after he pulled himself away. her brown eyes wide with shock. "Hikaru we... what was-"

"Haruhi..." He whispered, their lips still close. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her closer. She had to have helped him, from the position he was still in, to be able to get her on top of him. His hands lingered around her upper torso, fiddling with her blouse.

"Hikaru." Kagami gasped, but she was cut off from saying anymore as he moved his hands behind her head. Forcing her to kiss him again.

After she had stopped resisting, his hands moved down to her shirt again, and started to unbutton it.

And she didn't stop him.

He didn't care. Haruhi was gone, but he didn't know that. His mind, that was alcoholically induced with thoughts and faces, was convinced otherwise.

For now, he had Haruhi.

And he didn't care about anything else.


	13. Chapter 13

**I'm Sorry**

* * *

"The documents have been forwarded to your account."

"Thank you."

"Will there be anything else, sir?"

"No, no. I have everything. Thank you, Yumi."

"My pleasure, Mister. Suoh."

Tamaki's shoulders dropped as he hung up the phone. He took a deep breath and laid his face in his hands as his elbows rested on his desk.

It was early morning, around seven o-clock he guess (he wasn't sure, he hadn't checked recently). He hadn't slept the best last night because of all the work he had the night before, and also had an early vide call with a business associate.

Ever since Haruhi's unnecessary funeral he also hadn't been in the jolliest of moods, or acted his usual cheerful self. He tried, but physically he couldn't bring himself to be in any better of a mood than anyone else.

He had set up his own person search party for Haruhi in the towns of Takayama and Shirakawa. Though like all others, they had come up blank. Japan wasn't the biggest country in the world, and no detective they hired -despite the cost- no one could find, Haruhi.

There was just too many people with the many Haruhi, and surprisingly, Hitachiin wasn't a rare name either. The longer it was taking them, it seemed to get harder.

If only they had tried harder when she first went missing. Maybe then they would have found her a lot easier, instead of just thinking she was off having a small get-away, and would show up at the door randomly after three days.

No, she didn't do that. After three days she could have traveled half around the world, and ended up in some foreign country or on an island, or in the hands of some psychotic serial killer who was out searching for pretty girls for his own pleasure.

At this point he had come up with many excuses, most ridiculous, some emotionally nerve racking. He loved Haruhi and wanted her to come home to them, but his heart went out fully to Hikaru.

Tamaki himself had his own wife, and he couldn't imagine how it felt for your wife to suddenly disappear off the face of the earth with no explanation, and no comfort or justice after a year and a half.

He couldn't begin to imagine the pain. He could ask how Hikaru was doing, how he was handling everything. He knew he wanted to ask, but Hikaru barely talked to him as it was. He probably wouldn't appreciate it being asked that question now.

There was creaking sound that snapped Tamaki out of hi thoughts and he tilted his head up to see his wife quietly stepping into the room. He blinked and watched her shut the door quietly.

"..Ayame." He greeted her with a soft voice. "You're home from your conference meeting already?"

"It was cut short." She answered solemnly as stepping into the room. Adjusting her glasses she walked up to his desk. "You father called. He was asking about Hikaru, _again_."

Tamaki bit his lip, leaning into his chair. "I haven't talked to Hikaru since Haruhi's- _or_... that little funeral ordeal."

"It was their anniversary yesterday."

"...I know."

"You should call him-... or, Kaoru. See how he's doing."

"I should but I don't think he'd want to talk long. He isn't exactly full of things to speak about, and hasn't been since she left. I don't know what to say to him. I know he probably feels awful, but I don't know what I could say that would make him feel any better."

Ayame nodded. "I'm sure everyone feels the same, but you should just let him know that you're thinking about him. He's most likely alone right now. I know Kaoru's said that he hasn't been to work in a really long time, so he's probably still at home."

Tamaki didn't know how to reply, so he just nodded. "...Maybe... I'll send a gift basket."

"Do you think that would make him feel less lonely? A basket of fruit?"

"No, and knowing the twin's family, he probably has been sent a lot of those."

"I think you should just call, ask how he's doing. Maybe later when you're not busy you could drive down and seen him. Not to comfort him, but... a friendly visit."

Tamaki pouted, leaning over his desk childishly. "He isn't very friendly when I see him."

She just merely rolled her eyes. "Do you blame him?"

"Not in the least. It's just..." He trailed off as he looked out the window. He licked the upper row of his teeth and laid his chin on his arm. "I wish... I could just snap my fingers and bring Haruhi back. I don't know where she is, I don't know where she could have gone. Or why she'd leave in the first place, but this isn't fair for Hikaru at all."

"Yes. It's very frustrating for a lot of people. It's taken a big toll on him."

"Everyone's just lost a good friend if she doesn't come back..." He added, lightly grazing the handle of his coffee mug with his finger tip. "But Hikaru's lost family. We all love Haruhi but Hikaru-... He lost his wife, and there isn't anything we can do for him that we already haven't done. I'm so confused."

Silence filled the air around the two spouses as neither said another word. A few moments passed before Ayame sighed and turned around to leave.

"I know you used to be very positive that we'd find her. I think you're loosing your spirit."

Tamaki couldn't help but agree with her.

"...I think I am."

* * *

The morning had started early for most people in japan, but for some... it hadn't even started yet.

Hikaru had woken up only a mere few seconds ago, but his headache had kept him from wanting to move. The pillow molded his head comfortably as he turned his head, squeezing his eyes shut against the pain in his muscles.

Something stirred beside him, and gently touched his bare chest. He twitched at the sensation of soft finger tips against his skin, but it felt nice and he found himself easing his body into it.

It didn't take long to realize there was someone laying there with him, as he wrapped his arms around whoever it was and snuggled closer to them. The heat of their own body collided with his and made the air around them both undeniably comfortable.

So familiar and... comfortable.

Why did this feel so nice?

Why had he missed someone laying next to him so much?

Why did it hurt now? Why was his heart hurting? Why did his whole body hurt?

He crinkled his nose and stuffed his face into a head of long hair. Whoever laid beside him smelt of rich scented shampoo. He felt them move their arm over his upper torso and in return he squeezed them in a secure embrace in his arms. Not too tight, but tight enough to let them know he never wanted to let them go.

Through the pain in his head, Hikaru managed to peak his open. The sun shown through the blinds and touched his eyelids, encouraging him to wake up. While staring at the wall he faced, he knew he was in his bedroom. How he got in his bedroom was unknown, but he was there regardless.

Long brown hair draped the pillow next to him and over his shoulder. And while still half asleep, a tiny, barely noticeable smile touched his lips and he pulled that person closer to him.

"...Haruhi."

"Hmm?"

After his wife's name slipped passed his lips and he was actually replied to, his eyes flared wide open and he laid there in half shock. The figure moved in the circle of his arms and moved so much more closer to him that they might as well have been laying directly on top of him.

He turned his head again and looked at the brunette in his arms. His mouth gaping wide open. "H-...Haruhi?"

They tilted their head and looked back at him with soft brown eyes. "...Morning."

He looked at the female face that laid on the crook of his shoulder and his heart dropped down to the pit of his stomach. Brown eyes they were but they weren't hers. "Kagami?"

Not only was it not Haruhi beside him in bed, but she was also very nude, or as far as he could see she was.

"Feeling better?" she asked smoothly, giving him a small smile. "You were really upset last night."

 _It wasn't Haruhi._

 _It wasn't his wife._

 _Kagami was..._

 _Oh my god._

His body felt hot, hotter than before, as he hurriedly pulled his arms away from her and sat up. The moment he did though, his body was taken over by a strong sense of nausea and his temple throbbed. He wanted to puke.

He looked down at his chest and finally realized that he had no shirt on. They were laying in bed together with no... _Oh my god, why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?_

He hid his face in hands and whispered a few colorful swear words before looking back at her as she sat up as well, with a large sign. She touched his should and he nearly jumped out of bed.

"Kagami," he gasped through a strained voice, as he was trying to stop himself from shouting. "What are you-... Why are you here? Oh my god why are you-? We didn't... We-"

Kagami raised her eyebrow as he rubbed his face with his hands again. She pulled a few strands of her hair behind her ear and pulled the blanket up to hide her bare chest. "What's the matter?"

"Why are you in my bed? Just... _Why_?"

"...Because you wanted me to be."

"I _what_?"

"You wanted me to be with you so-"

"No I didn't."

"That's not what you said last night."

Last night? He didn't remember last night. He remembered sitting alone on the couch, that what he remembered. If that was even part of last night. He stuck his hand into his hair and tugged at his disheveled bangs.

What day was it?

What day was it yesterday? He remembered it being important but... His head hurt too much he couldn't concentrate or think straight, but it was...

It was his anniversary the day before. Yesterday was his and Haruhi's fourth wedding anniversary. But if it... was why he with, Kagami? And why were they... naked?

He looked back at her and she scooted closer to him, giving him a concerned frown but he ignored it and moved further away from her. "...What did we do last night?"

She licked her teeth and but her lip to fight a smirk. "We did a lot last night. You... don't remember?"

Hikaru pinched the bridge of his nose. "No but apparently you do. What the hell happened, strip poker?"

Kagami only shook her head. "Hikaru look... I know you probably didn't want to do it, I know you have Haruhi, but I didn't mean for it to happen either, I-"

"I was drunk last night, wasn't I?"

" _Drunk_ would be an understatement." She muttered under her breath, but she knew he heard her. "But it's okay, it's not like anything's changed, we don't have to be-"

"We slept together." He whispered into his hands, as he stared at the wrinkled blankets in his lap. "I slept with you."

"I wouldn't... say it like that. Hikaru look, don't get upset we just-"

"I'm married, oh my god. I-... I can't do that I... have Haruhi. She-"

"She's gone."

"But I-

"Hika, for all we know, you could be a widower." Kagami blurted out without thinking, but as he realized what she said it was too late. "Besides, I know how you still feel about her, I wouldn't have done it if-"

"Did-... did I make you do anything? _Force_ you to do anything?"

"Would It make a difference whether you did or not?"

Hikaru squeezed his eyes shut again and hid his hands in his hair. It was drunk, and slept with his friend on his and his wife's anniversary. True, Haruhi was gone, and despite the way he felt about it- he could be a widower and they'd never know, but on their anniversary...

Haruhi could still be alive and he was with another woman on _their_ anniversary. I made him sick. If he was as drunk as she said he was though, that sickness may only be coming from his hangover.

Why?

 _...I'm sorry, Haruhi._

Should he be sorry? She did after all, leave _him_. He didn't go anywhere. If she had stayed, then he wouldn't be laying there with someone else. If she hadn't left, there wouldn't be such a big mess.

 _Are we even now?_

Kagami turned to look at him again as an awkward silence came between them. He licked her bottom lip and scooted closer to him again laying a hand on his shoulder. "...If it makes you feel any better. You thought I was her..."

Lifting his head from his hands and looked at her with tears glazed eyes. "... _What_?"

"You kept calling her name and talking to her. Before you fell asleep you said you loved me, but... You thought I was Haruhi so it probably wasn't to me, so mentally you thought you were with her."

"I thought that..."

"...I tried to tell you, but you wanted to think I was her, I guess." She said, leaning on him she slowly draped her arms around him over his shoulders. "Before you fell asleep, you were happy... At least then you thought you were with Haruhi. It was kind of cute."

He shivered at their skin-to-skin contact, but didn't bother to push her away. " _Cute_?"

"Well... I mean, not cute but... sentimental. I didn't know that you felt that way about her."

She sensed that he was upset and laid her chin on his shoulder. Rubbing his bicep she tried to comfort him, as he looked like he was about to cry again, and as her fingernails grazed his bare chest she was surprised when he didn't try to move away from her.

He feels so warm... she mused, snuggling up to him, gently rubbing her leg against his under the blanket. Though apparently that's what knocked him out of his deep trance, and he pressed his hands to her shoulder and shoved her away.

"I... I can't. I-"

"Where are you going?" She tried to hide her pout as he flung the blankets back and after they landed over her head, she flung it off her face. He got up and found his shirt on the floor.

"I don't know. I-... I need to get out."

"But, Hika-"

"I haven't... in a long time. The house gets stuffy."

 _My chest hurts._

"But you can't! Hika, you're sick. At least wait until tomorrow. Just until you get over your headache. Last night was-"

"Forget about it."

"But Hikaru-"

"Forget about it, Kagami." He said in a firm tone. "It was nothing. I didn't mean to. It was... an accident. We're just going to pretend it didn't happen."

Kagami was silent after that, and didn't say another thing to him as he got dressed in the bathroom and left the room. Not even giving her a second glance.

"...But... It _did_ happen."

* * *

"I can't do this anymore."

"Mr. Hitachiin, please-"

"Screw her. I don't care anymore. Obviously she doesn't care either. Why the hell not? It's not like she's here to give her own god damn side of the story anyway! I don't have to explain myself."

"Sir, really. Calm down-"

"If she's dead, I hope she's shaking her head at me. Damn all woman to hell."

"This is hardly a manner to be behaving this morning, sir. Please try to be rational. You feel sick, let me get you some herb tea to-"

"Leave me alone. Why are you here?"

"...I work here?"

" _Why_?"

"You hired me."

"Well you're fired."

"..."

"Mr. Hitachiin!" As the booming voice of his maid screeched at him, Hikaru clenched his fist and turned around. Only to be greeted with one of his elder maids who, by chance, was the same height as him. "Calm down. Quit yelling at the poor girl. It isn't her fault you're in a bad mood."

Hikaru crinkled his nose, narrowing his eyes with dilated pupils. "You're fired, too."

"Who would do your laundry?"

He tightened his lips and decided not to argue anymore. He huffed and turned on his heel. "Forget it. I'm leaving. Wait till Kagami leaves then finish what you want around the house. Lock up when you leave."

The tall maid sighed and shook her head, wiping her wet hands on her apron. "What's she doing here anyway?"

"It's none of your business."

"Woke up on the wrong side of the bed?"

 _Or beside the wrong person..._

Hikaru turned back around and opened his mouth to tell her off, but no such words came out and he quickly shut his mouth again. "What exactly do I pay you for? Stay out of my personal life."

"Usually you wouldn't care what I say about her..." The maid grumbled, feeling the strong urge to hit her boss upside the head with the bluntest object. "What time should we expect you back."

"I don't know."

"Where are you going?"

"I _don't_ know-"

Just then, Hikaru was cut off by a few knocks at the door. That seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back. As He completely snapped.

"Whoever it is, I'll kill it."

The youngest maid, who was barely even nineteen, flinched as he walked passed her. She blinked her bright crystal blue eyes a few times before looking again, and running off towards the kitchen where she wouldn't have to face anymore of her boss's wrath.

The elder maid however, just shook her head and went to the living room, where she would continue cleaning up the mess he made after drinking last night. This hangover he was suffering was most likely the cause for his nasty mood.

Dressed, ready to leave the house, Hikaru took a deep breath and felt his blood boil under his skin. Why he was angry after waking up, was a mystery to him. His head hurt, his stomach felt as though it would turn if he sat down and got comfortable, but also, the anger was targeted to himself.

He was angry a himself, for letting his emotions get the best of him. And because of it, he had complicated his relationship with a close friend, and was unfaithful to his wife. All in the same night.

And it as because he let his sorrow take too much control over his body. He still couldn't believe he got drunk last night. Never until now had he let his sadness, and despondency take over.

Who's fault was it, exactly?

None of this would have happened if she hadn't left, so it was her fault.

But if hadn't have let himself be too bothered by it, he wouldn't have made today, so painful to live.

No... It wasn't that.

If he hadn't have fallen in love with her... nothing would be wrong.

Nothing would hurt.

Why did he have to love her? Why had he grown a closeness to her that he felt as though he couldn't live without being with her. He had to love her. Back then, he felt that loving her was the lonely answer to get what he wanted.

He loved her so much.

Now...

He regretted loving her.

He regretted even knowing her name.

He regretted ever meeting her.

Why did she even have to exist? Save every poor boy from ever meeting her. Save their sensitive hearts from her breaking them.

There was another round of small knocks at the door, and Hikaru cursed Kami's name under his breath before he grabbed the doorknob and swung it open, before they had another chance to knock again.

He glared. " _What_?"

There was a few moments of silence before his face softened instantly at the sight of his twin standing there in the doorway. Hikaru gripped the doorknob before sticking his nose up in annoyance.

"Do you know what time it is?" He hissed, his eye narrowed after he decided to ignore the upset look on his little brother's face. "I thought you'd be at work."

Kaoru looked at his brother and his shoulders dropped. "I... I know, but I wasn't going to work today. You weren't answering your phone when I called so-"

"One, I just woke up, two, I don't want to talk to people, so I my has been off."

"That's what I thought, so that's why I came over to-"

"If it was to come over and check on my after yesterday, I'm fine. Little pissed off, but great. In fact... I'm _fantastic_." Hikaru retorted, gripping the doorframe. "Also, tell mom to stop sending me emails."

Hikaru was about to shut the door when, at the moment, he saw the concerned look in his twins eyes, and noticed that he looked tired. His hair was a mess, and his clothes were wrinkled. He wouldn't be surprised if he wore the exact same outfit yesterday.

"...Hika."

"What?"

"By chance... Is Mokoto here?"

Hikaru's insides came to a complete halt. He looked away from his feet and gave his brother a wide-eyed expression. "...Why would you think she's here?"

"So that's a _no_?"

"Why would Mokoto be here?"

"I didn't think she was, so... I was asking."

Hikaru scowled suspiciously. "Where _is_ Mokoto?"

Kaoru sighed. Sticking his hands deep into his pickets. "I don't know, that's why I was asking you if she was here. We talked about coming over, so I thought that she might have come earlier without telling me."

Hikaru let go of the door and just stared at him. "...Just call her."

"She wont answer any of the phone calls." Kaoru bit his lip as looking over his shoulder. On of her other cars was parked, still running, in the wrap around driveway. "She hasn't read any of my messages either. I didn't worry about it too much yesterday because she said she went over to her mothers house, but I called her, and she said she hasn't seen Mokoto in over a week."

"She might have gone to work, Kaoru. Go to her office."

"But..." Kaoru bit his lip again, and looked back at his older twin. "She left for the story the other day. She didn't say she was going to work."

Hikaru didn't reply, and just glared at him, waiting for him to reply. "So what do I have to do with it?"

"It doesn't. I just-... I'm freaking out a little because she kind of took my car, and my wallet and now I don't know where she is. I just asked because..." He paused, just looking at his brother.

" _What_?"

"Because she didn't come home last night."


	14. Chapter 14

**Sensitivity**

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me."

"..No."

"Why? What the hell, Kaoru?"

"I... I don't know. She left for the store yesterday, and I told her to come home before dinner, but... she didn't."

Hikaru stood above his brother with his arms crossed. Because of this incident, he wasn't giving his little brother any special treatment or was giving him any sympathy. "You're a jackass."

Kaoru flinched, tightening his lips as he stared at the table. "I... didn't do anything."

"Exactly." He grumbled, his voice like thunder. "Why would you even let her go anywhere anyway, period?"

Kaoru crinkled his nose, placing his hands on the table as he stood up. "I came here looking for her, I didn't ask for a lecture, don't you think I-"

"You know what happened to Haruhi, why the hell would you even let Mokoto out of your sight? Damn right I'm lecturing you." Hikaru huffed, his brow narrowed. "I can't believe this."

Glaring, Kaoru just stood there, his face turned away. "I tried to go with her, but she wanted to shop by herself. How was I supposed to know that she wasn't coming back?"

"Oh, bravo, Kaoru. Your wife intentionally left by herself, took your car, and your money, how stupid do you feel now? Maybe you should have watched her better."

"Mokoto's not an object, I've never had to watch her before. Just because Haruhi left, didn't make me feel like I should start watching her. She's human like everyone else, what did you expect me to do?"

"I don't care who you're married to, woman can be trusted-"

"Woah, just because you don't like, or trust Haruhi anymore because of what she did, doesn't mean you should make false accusations towards Mokoto. She wouldn't just up and leave for no reason."

"And _your_ reason?"

"She just wouldn't."

"Oh _please_."

Kaoru scowled, pushing his chair out to stand up straight. " _Yes_. Just because you think Haruhi left you, doesn't mean Mokoto would leave. You're being unreasonable, Hikaru."

"I'm being unreasonable? Even if she didn't just leave you, you should have been keeping an eye on her anyway, knowing full well that the same thing happened to Haruhi last year. You're the one who was stupid to let her go anywhere by herself. Not considering the possibility that the same thing might happen to her."

He rubbed his fingers together, still glaring at his older brother. "I know what I did wrong, don't act like I don't. I was up all night trying to find her. People don't just assume their wives will go missing. That doesn't happen on a regular basis."

"Apparently it does in this family." Hikaru muttered under his breath, turning his back to his twin. "If you're so worried about her, get out of my house and go look for her then."

Kaoru opened his mouth, ready to argue about the fact that he had just lectured him for almost an hour, but he decided against it. "That's what I've been doing all morning, but I stopped here to-"

"I'll call Kyouya, for him to tell his guys here in the local areas to look for her. We're-"

"But Hikaru, they're too busy looking for, Haruhi."

With a deep hidden emotion in his eyes, Hikaru turned to his little brother again. "We're never going to find Haruhi. Might as well look for her instead, because later if we don't find her, you're going to wish you tried harder."

"...Hika-"

"Hikaru, why are you yelling down here, and making so much noise." A voice came from the other side of the door of the kitchen. "You're making that new maid girl nervous, and twitchy."

Kaoru's eyes widened at the familiar sounding voice and looked at his brother. Hikaru sighed and turned to look for his phone in his blazer. The second the door was pushed open he turned around swiftly on his heel and stared opened mouthed at, Haruhi's strange lookalike.

He blinked owlishly. "...Kagami?"

"Kaoru..." Kagami returned his strange look. "I mean... _Mister Hitachiin_. I'm sorry, I didn't know Hikaru was having company today."

"Yeah, neither did I." Hikaru replied quietly to himself, referring to both of them.

Kaoru was still confused, and his mouth dropped to his chin as he noticed that her hair was wet and she wore a robe. "Wh-... What are _you_ doing here?"

She raised her eyebrow. "I could ask you the same thing."

Kaoru glared then looked at his brother, pointing his finger at her. "What is _she_ doing here?"

The realization of why Kagami was there made Hikaru's blood hot and he looked at them both with an irritated glower. "Don't argue." He snapped rather harshly, making them both flinch.

Kaoru continued to give her dirty looks from the side until his attention was pulled by his twin.

"Kaoru... Have you called mom? Maybe she's seen her."

He just shook his head. "I've asked everyone. No one's seen her."

Kagami looked over at Hikaru with wide eyes, looking shocked. "Wait... Mokoto's missing?"

Hikaru merely blinked before going off to the other room to make a call, barely registering what she said. Kaoru watched his brother walk away, then, taking his chance, he stepped closer to Kagami, his nose curled in annoyance.

Because he didn't look past the fact that neither he nor Hikaru mentioned Mokoto's name while in the room with her.

How could she have known?

"I don't know who you are, or what your whole plan is here, but I don't like it, or you." He said with attitude, his voice like a growl. "I want you to know, that my brother's married. Whether Haruhi's here to verify that or not, he is, so stay away from him. He might not see it, but I know exactly what you're doing."

That was harsh, especially for, Kaoru.

Being completely dumbstruck, she blinked her wide brown eyes and held her hand to her chest, over her robe. "I... don't know what you're talking about."

"Bullshit. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Stay away from my brother."

"I think your brother's a big boy, Kaoru."

"I don't care how old my brother is. Haruhi's missing, and you can clearly see that it's eating him away inside. He's still suffering, and you're taking advantage of his depression."

She raised her brow. "Taking advantage of his depression? And what? you think I like him being upset all the time? Thanks to her leaving, all he does is yell and swear at everyone. He's always in a bad mood no matter how nice you are to him. He's fired three of his maids since she left and he's picked up drinking. Don't stand there and tell me I _like_ it."

Kaoru stood there, speechless at the part 'picked up drinking', but he didn't let her know he was surprised. "Then why are you here this early in the morning? Did you spend the night?"

"As a matter of fact."

He clenched his fingers. "Don't you think that's a little disrespectful? Spending the night as a married man's house? You're taking advantage over his grieving, and you know it."

She huffed, holding the soft fabric of her robe between her fingers. "You say that to me, that you know everything, but you don't. As Hikaru told you before, you need to stay out of his business."

"I'm not talking to my brother, I'm talking to you. And if you're with Hikaru, that automatically makes it my business. Leave him alone. He doesn't want you."

"Says you. I didn't plan on staying here over night, last night. But Hikaru was upset and didn't want me to leave." She boasted, and he noticed her tiny smirk. "You should have seen him, he was so upset about their anniversary that he was crying. I came around right before he might have done something stupid. He didn't want me to leave him alone."

Kaoru's brow twitched, getting more irritated. He didn't believe a word she said. "Whatever happened between you two last night is the past now. From now on, stay away from him. You don't need to be here every second of the day with him."

"That isn't your decision to make now, is it? This house is in Hikaru's name. If he doesn't want me to leave, then I don't have to."

"I don't care who's name the house is in, I don't trust you with my brother, and he's too sucked up in his own grief to realize what you're doing to him."

"Hikaru was drunk out of his mind last night." She snapped, clearly offended. "He had the maids leave early, and he was completely alone. He drank through two bottle of wine by himself. He thought I was Haruhi. I tried to tell him otherwise, but I gave up. Hikaru was drunk, but after awhile he was happy to be next to me, because he thought he was laying next to his wife again."

Kaoru didn't reply, so she continued.

"I'm not taking advantage of him, and if that's what it looks like, I'm sorry you're mistaken. Sure, I may be attracted to Hikaru, but I want Haruhi to come home just as much as everyone else does. Because I know Hikaru would never be as happy with me, as he was with, Haruhi."

"I don't like watching him suffer like this," she added for good measures. "And if I could do something more to help find Haruhi, I would, but I can't. I'm taking advantage of Hikaru, unless that's what you consider comforting to be."

Kaoru looked at her, his face loosing all expression. He looked at her deep scold and resisted the urge her smug look off her face.

"My brother might be able to see it, but everyone else can."

"...What?"

"Your lies. You try so hard, it's pitiful." He spat, clenching his jaw. "You came out of nowhere once Haruhi goes missing, and you moved right in with my bother. Don't except me to believe you're here just to comfort him. If Haruhi doesn't come back, you'd have Hikaru all to yourself without having to worry about anything, and you'd have juiced him up by the time everyone gives up looking for her, that he wouldn't be able to tell you to leave. He'd be too comfortable around you."

She just rolled her eyes. "That just shows how much you know, doesn't it? At least I know the truth, you decide whether you want to believe it or not."

Kaoru was silent as he watched her leave. His nerves were still on overload after all his worrying about Mokoto, but tried to control himself enough to not follow her.

Why didn't he trust her? Why didn't he want to believe that she didn't want anything else other than to take over Haruhi's life? Why didn't he believe her? Why did he think she was lying? He didn't know her personally, he didn't know what she was capable of, maybe she really did care about his brother like she aid she did, but not romantically.

Alone now, Kaoru stood there in the middle of the kitchen. The location of his wife was just as unknown as Haruhi's. He didn't know what to look next, and dog only knew when he'd see her again. Not only was his wife missing though, so was his unborn baby.

That's what scared him the most.

"Come on, Haruhi." He whispered to himself. "You can come home now."

* * *

"Yes, sir."

"...Hmm, mm, yes sir."

"Yes... I know-... no I'm not giving you attitude... okay, sir."

"...We'll be sure to, okay. Good day, sir."

Hanging up his cellphone, one of Hikaru's private detectives sighed and threw himself against the drivers seat of his car. His shaggy dark ash hair shadowed his ears.

He pulled his black shades down from his eyes and turned to his side. "Guess what pouty said?"

Clearly referring to their boss, Hikaru, his partner turned his head and raised his brow. "She's dead again as we should stop looking?"

"Close. Guess again."

"Could we not play this game?"

"But it's so boring. We've been sitting here for hours." He pouted at his partner, slumping over the steering wheel. "Obviously she isn't anywhere here, but he still has us stationed in the same area. Not only that, but we're not even supposed to be looking for her anymore. At least that's what he said."

"What?" His partner, not interested, almost exclaimed, spitting out his coffee. "Why? What did he tell you? Damn it Ichiro, I'm not going to allow you to use the receiver anymore.

Ichiro sighed, pressing his lips into his wrist boredly. "You're not my mother, you can't band me from using the receiver. He tol me distinctly that we're not supposed to be looking for her anymore. Someone instead-... why did he say? Uh... Mokoto, I think."

"His brother's wife?"

"Is that who she is? Anyway... She's missing, as he asked to stop looking for Haruhi, and look for her instead. Kaede?... Are you listening?"

Kaede pinched his nose, after putting his coffee away. "He wants us to look for someone else, instead of his own wife? Has he gone mad? We've already come so close so many times, she's practically under one of our noses. We've got all this personal information on her, and we're just gonna drop that? What did he give us for that other chick?"

Ichiro tapped his forehead against the wheel. "How much trouble do you think we'd get into if we don't'?"

"We'd get fired."

"Lets don't and say we did."

"Pouty will ring our necks."

Kaede shook his head and looked out the passenger window. "But whatever, I have high doubts we'll find Haruhi anyway. It's only been almost _two years_ , so why not? how long has Mokoto been missing?"

"Since yesterday."

He slapped his hand over his face. "Why can't he tell us to find someone, who's only been missing for a few hours? Do you know how far someone can go in twenty-four hours? This is exactly why we don't have Haruhi. He waited four days before he had any of us looking for her."

"I guess we don't have any choice on the matter." Ichiro shrugged, turning the key and starting the engine again. "He said to look in the most populated towns in Kyoto, which is the closest anyone would want to go. That, or Hiroshima."

"Doesn't he know that in a twenty-four hour time period, someone could have boarded a plane and could be half was to America? What? does he want us to do next? Fly to Bali? Mokoto will end up just like Haruhi, if she's gone missing so unexpectedly like this."

Ichiro stuck his tongue out, pulling the car in reverse to exit the coffee shop they stopped at. "He's paying us double for this sudden change of plans though, so I'm not complaining. I thought he'd want us to find his wife more than for us to find someone else's wife though."

"He probably knows it, too."

"Knows what?"

"That we're never going to find her."

The car fell silent. It wasn't until a few moments after they pulled out of the driveway of the café that Ichiro replied.

"This is probably why we haven't found her yet." He complained, his brow furrowed. "Everyone's so negative. Everyone, for the past few months, has been saying this. God is watching Kae. We haven't found her yet because he wanted us to think positive."

"...Uh, no. Everyone's saying this because it's true, and god doesn't care about this sort of thing. It's not his fault we lost her."

"Whatever, we just need to have a little more faith. For all we know, she could be bunking in one of these little towns, and we'd never know."

Kaede opened his mouth to reply, but the phone ringing on his partners waist interrupted him. They both flinched at the suddenness and Ichiro reached to grab and answer it, but Keade grabbed it off his belt instead, giving him a look that said 'you're driving' but Ichiro wasn't going to protest anyway. _He_ didn't want to talk to their boss.

But this time it wasn't, Hikaru.

"...Hello?"

"Wherever you are, turn around."

"...Excuse me?"

"Stop what you're doing and listen to the directions I'm going to give you, write them on paper. It'll be a long drive."

Kaede cringed at the sound of Kyouya's voice on the phone and switched the phone to his other ear, obeying by grabbing a pen and paper from his bag with his other.

"Mister Ootori, I'm sorry, but Mister Hitachiin asked us to-"

"I don't care what he asked you to do. You're looking for Mokoto, aren't you?"

"Well _now_ we are, which is still a little weird." Keade sighed, laying his elbow on the door handle."Mister Hitachiin gave us specific orders to go to Kyoto and-"

"Perfect, not that, that matters to me, but do what I say anyway, I'll take responsibilities for what you do and listen to him complain." Kyouya said on the other line, in a firm and solemn tone. "I've done some research lately-"

"What kind of research?"

"That's classified. Just do what I say." Kyouya growled, obviously he was at a loss of patience before calling. "Get down to the border of Kasagi, in Kyoto, stay put there and call when you get there. I'll give you the exact directions of where I want you to look."

"Um..." Keade muttered hesitantly, afraid to say anything in fear of pissing him off further. "What exactly are we doing? Where are you taking us with these 'directions'?"

Kyouya took a deep breath, causing static to buzz through Keade's ears.

"Looking for, Haruhi. What did you think?"

"...But Mister Hitachiin said-"

"I don't give a damn what he said about Mokoto, I've finally found something, be smart and listen to what I tell you. This might have something to do with Mokoto as well."

"...But Mister Ootori-"

Keade was cut off of the phone beeping in his hear. He pulling it away to find that Kyouya had hung up on him. He gave his partner an odd sideways glance before shaking his head, and sighed.

"I hate being bossed around al the time."

Ichiro nodded in agreement. "Pouty?"

"No, the one who needs anger management."

"...ah."

"We're going to Kyoto still, but not where Mister Hitachiin said. We're going to Kasagi, on the other side of Kyoto." Keade huffed in annoyance, placing the phone on the center console. "It's hardly populated. It's going to be a long trip, too. Over five hours. We'll be in here awhile, might as well get an early lunch."

Ichiro sighed heavily, and laid his head back against the headrest of his seat. "Another day in the life of a detective. I hate my job."

"I hate take out."

"I hate being in the car with you after having take out."

"...Just drive."

"Wanna play a game? I spy with my-"

" _No_... Just... no."

* * *

 _Five hours and thirty-two minutes later._

* * *

"I'm starving, are we there yet?"

"You're the one driving, why are you asking me?"

"You're the one with the GPS."

"Well the red dot is blinking and it says we're right on the location, Mister Ootori gave us, but... There's nothing special here, and I'm not seeing any brunettes, or-... any woman in general."

"Kea, it's called being a wasteland. This place is practically in the middle of nowhere. Can we go home?"

Keade gave Ichiro a sideways glare, but decided not to argue and turned to look out the window. Because of the weather, the leaves on the trees were dark green and were on the verge of turning brown. The area they were at in Kyoto was dark and wooded. Houses were brown, old a rickety. A few people were on the streets they were driving on, but they had really one saw three or four doing nothing. An old man was sitting in a rocky chair asleep beside his food stand, but that was it.

Kasagi was a small town. An old small town the Ichiro described as 'a wasteland'.

"Actually, now that I think about it," Ichiro grumbled, his brow narrowed close to his eyes as he stared out the windshield. "This looks like a perfect place to runaway to, if you're running away from your husband. I mean, it's not bad, but I don't even want to get out of the car and look anywhere. This place does _not_ look fun."

Keade didn't reply as his eyes searched their surroundings outside his window. They drove past more dark, old looking buildings, and everything looked the same. He wouldn't doubt that if he asked, that they might be driving around in circles.

Then the GPS started beeping angrily against the dashboard that both the men looked at it. After the automated voice told them that they had reached their destination. Keade shut it off and looked out the window again.

He sighed. "I don't see what's so special about this place, it looked like the rest of the town. What does he want from us? There's nothing here but a bunch of building. Does he want us to go in them? How does he even know their here? How doe she know that they aren't in the other five hundred other ugly buildings we passed by?"

"What I want to know is that, Haruhi and Mokoto are married to the sons of Japan's most famous fashion designer, so why would they leave the lives of luxury for a place like this? It couldn't have been willingly. I certainly wouldn't come here willingly."

"Well lets get out and look around then," Keade poked his partners arm and unlocked his own door as Ichiro parked their car in a small five car parking lot in front of a small grocery store. No one looked like they were in there. "Let's do a quick runaround so we can go home."

Ichiro was about to open his mouth, but before he could, the phone buzzed at his side with a text message and he froze, his hand on the door handle.

He grabbed it and looked at Kyouya's name which was laminated on the screen. he rolled his eyes and 0opned it to reply.

Kyouya: Are you there?

He replied with a simple, 'yes'.

Kyouya: There's supposed to be a large, tall, building off to the side. With a weird red and black sign.

Ichiro looked up and turned his head, looking out the window, looking for the tall building. He narrowed his eyes at the tallest one and laid his cheek on his fist as he replied again, with 'Yes, but it looks like a really big old cafe'.

Kyouya: Go there. And when you do, act normal. You're undercover now."

He made a face, wanted to reply saying that he didn't want to, and that he wasn't that hungry to go inside a lace like that, but instead he replied with a 'Okay, fine', and opened his door.

"Kea," he whined as he stood up, stretching his legs after their long ride. "we have another order from the big man."

Keade clicked his tongue and threw his head back. "Why?"

"He wants us to go over there, and check out that café."

"Did he know you were hungry?"

"He knew that I didn't want to go there. I don't want to be here period."

"Lets go there then, the sooner we do, the sooner we tell him we did, and the sooner we can get a hotel and go to sleep. We'll go home tomorrow. Too tired to make that trip again."

Ichiro nodded, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "He said act normal. We're undercover."

"We're detectives, when are we ever _not_ undercover?"

Ichiro pulled out his sunglasses. "Well if we're going over there, I'm getting coffee."

After arguing about what style of attire was considered, most undercoverish, the men got to the entrance of the large building that was on the other side of the street, four buildings down. They looked at the sign again and questioned the whole building with critical eyes. 'Kasagi Café' is what it said, and it sounded normal enough.

The door was around the corner, around a drop off sidewalk that looked like a ramp. Neither of them wanted to go inside, but their job called for it and they reluctantly walked inside.

The inside was suspiciously nice. With dark polish and red and black accents. There was silver crystal ball lights on the ceiling and the whole room looked inviting, and indeed it was. Everything was inviting.

"Welcome masters," a high pitched female voice said softly, making them flinch. "How can we help you today? Perhaps a table?"

Ichiro looked down at her in her knee high red dress and black apron. He raised his eyebrow in confusion.

"...Why would I want a table..."

The maid blinked and stood up straight after bowing. "A table sirs, to eat at?"

Keade elbowed him in the side. "No... We're not here to eat."

She looked at them questionably and looked around, then back at them. "I'm sorry sirs, we don't serve our food to go."

"No, we didn't come here for food period." Keade shook his head, cursing Kyouya's name for making them come here. Remembering what he had told them on the way over there. "Your boss though... We'd like to see him."

Her friendly expression changed and she looked almost sad. "Your the man who's has an appointment with him? He's been waiting for you. You're a little early than when you said you'd be here."

Both men nodded, not knowing what she was talking about.

She nodded to herself back and turned around, gesturing them to follow. "He's in the back speaking with everyone. He said just one man though, he wasn't expecting two."

Neither of the men said anything about that and just followed her. She led them through the back door which was behind the counter that was scattered with teacups and plates. Then led them down a long hallway with doors. Ichiro raised his brow at Keade, silently mouthing if they could leave, because he didn't want to be there, but Keade didn't reply.

She took them around the corner and opened another door, taking them inside.

From the outside, they wouldn't have been able to guess that the building was this large. It didn't make sense to either of them, so they didn't say a thing. Ichiro wanted to complain that he was still hungry, but it didn't seem like the place or time to say that out loud.

Keade was going to ask her where she was taking them, but his words died in his throat the minute she opened the door, because they were greeted with a strange large room with tables and chairs. Woman were talking in hushed voices and the whole place was eerie, and made the men shiver in their clothes.

The waitress woman who had been with them, suddenly disappeared around the corner and left the same direction they came, leaving Keade and Ichiro alone in the room with the other strangers. They looked around, obviously lost and clueless until something touched Ichiro's shoulder.

He jumped and held his hands up in a fighting stance. Though Keade pulled his arm down when they saw that it was just an elderly man.

"Can I help you, gentleman?"

"The blinked, silent for only a few moments.

"Yes," Keade grumbled, gently pushing his partner away as he was giving suspicious glowers towards the man. "We uh... We're looking for someone."

The man's face lit up. "What kind?"

"...What?"

"What kind? Do you have a specific type?"

"...Um... of coffee?"

The man chuckled, his forehead creased with wrinkles. "No, _woman_."

Ichiro held his hand up. "No thanks, I have a girlfriend already."

Keade pushed his back again. "No, we're looking for a specific girl, just one. Well-.. maybe two, but has a woman come in here or have you seen a woman named Haruhi? She's been-"

The old man's eyes widened, but the second they did, he changed his expression before they could notice his shock "...Haruhi?"

"Haruhi Hitachiin."

He turned around, looking over at another, much younger man who was standing in the corner. Ichiro and Keade hadn't noticed him until just then.

"I'm sorry, I don't know who you're talking about, but I assure you, there are other woman here who'd fit you more nicely."

Ichiro ignored that after giving him a dirty look. "I'm not even going to ask what you mean by that, but if you happen to just see her," he reached for a picture that was in his wallet. "let us know, she's-"

The man raised his graying eyebrow and looked down at his vest that he opened, to pull out his wallet, and at a glance, he was a badge that read 'NPD' detective. "Again, sorry to disappoint you, sir, I've never heard of that name before, and if you're not interested in our services, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"What sort of services are you providing here exactly?"

"If you're not a paying customer, then I'm afraid I can't answer that."

"But-"

The man glared, now obviously annoyed. "I apologize sir, but I'll ask you one more time to leave before I have someone help you. I am not entitled to answer your questions. Haruhi Hitachiin isn't here, nor has she ever been. Now please, if you will... see yourself out."

Ichiro and Keade didn't argue anymore and left the building without another word to the man. But they couldn't help but feel that despite the mans words, the building had some sort of connection to their investigation.

Keade slammed his door shut to the car. "Now we have to listen to Mister Hitachiin ride our hinds for not doing what he said, and admit to Mister Ootori that we didn't find her."

Ichiro didn't reply.


	15. Chapter 15

**Missing Pieces**

* * *

"And?"

"Well... we got kicked out."

"You got kicked out?"

"Sir, it's complicated. Ichi was-"

"How did you get kicked out?"

"What the hell was that place anyway? There was woman everywhere and a perverted old man who kept looking at them like they were his possessions. Seriously, there's something wrong with that café, the waitresses were calling us " _masters_."

"...That's exactly what I thought."

"You make me uncomfortable."

Kyouya ran his tongue over the upper row of his teeth and stared at his glass of ice water that sat on his desk beside his hands he clasped together, with a bottle of ibuprofen on the other side. His headache throbbed, making him easily annoyed.

"Damn..." he whispered. "I thought I had her this time."

Keade sucked in his lip and chewed on it with his teeth. Ichiro stood beside him, fiddling with his cellphone. It was the day after, and they had to admit that they hadn't found a thing except for a freaky café. Haruhi nor Mokoto were nowhere to be found.

"Sir..." He muttered, twisting his lips. "That place though... It's pretty creepy. There was a lot of women there, in one room, there was just women/ I thought were were actually going to find them there, but we were kicked out. We weren't allowed to search the place thoroughly."

"No," Kyouya scowled, laying his lips against the side of his hand. "Something's missing. I don't know where she is now, but Haruhi was there very recently. I was just hoping we'd catch her there."

"...How do you know that?"

"I had someone else at Kasagi before, and he was talking with locals, the called that large café the 'wife house', it isn't the real name of it, but everyone there calls it that because men have periodically have gone their and have hooked up with numerous of females."

"It's... a place to hook up and meet girls? Don't they just call those 'bars'?"

"This is different. They _could_ just go to a bar, but why do _that_ when they could go to the 'wife house' and meet women of their particular type, and get married two week later and have a bed warmer?"

Ichiro looked away from his phone and quirked his brow. "...I'm not following. _Bed warmer_?"

"That place gives jobs to women who don't have anything, or a place to live, as waitresses. Woman who go there obviously need a man of good money to support them. Men go there also looking for wives to be their regular housewife."

"...Uh-"

"Woman there are basically selling themselves to men with money because they need it. Everyone there can leave whenever they please, but the people who are there are... making the men pay for them."

Keade eyes widened like saucers. "Selling the women?"

"At a high price for most."

"...You can't sell people."

"Have you ever heard of, mail order brides?"

"...That... actually exists?"

Kyouya sighed and leaned on his hands, resting his elbows on the desk. "In Kasagi it does, and occasionally you can still find this sort of thing in other countries. The woman sell themselves, but the money goes to other people in the building. This is exactly Haruhi and Mokoto's situation."

Keade rolled his eyes, turning away a little irritated before looking back at the raven haired man with glasses. "How do you even know this? Don't tell me we're going to go on another wild goose chase because of another hunch."

"If you two would actually get out of your car and talk to locals, showing their pictures around, you would know that the people there close to that building have actually seen Mokoto there."

"But you said you were looking for Haruhi still."

"Mokoto was seen there yesterday by an old man who owns a small grocery store. But Haruhi..."

Both detective just stood there in silence when Kyouya's words trailed off as he typed something on his laptop. They weren't sure what he was doing, and after a few moments they thought he was done talking to them and contemplated leaving when Kyouya turned his laptop around.

They leaned in closer to get a better look of the picture that was there.

Both their stomachs curled in when they saw a picture of, Haruhi.

"I've..." Ichiro blinked. "I've never seen this picture before. What's with the weird background?"

"She's in a catalog."

"...Haruhi? For what? She's not a piece of furniture."

"No, but she was for sale like one."

"..."

"Wait," Keade glared, tilting the screen of the laptop back to get a better look. "Haruhi was for sale? Like those bride things? She was bought?"

Kyouya wanted to slap himself. "...Did you happen to see her when you were at the café?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Then she was bought."

"...Oh my god."

Keade "What about Mokoto...?"

Kyouya turned his laptop around and on the screen, he searched for black haired pregnant females. Mokoto's picture and a few others appeared and he turned the laptop around once more.

His face turned sour. "She's here, too. For sale... for a hundred an fifty thousand yen."

Ichiro nearly choked on thin air. "This... this can't be legal. What-... I don't get it. Why the hell would Haruhi and Mokoto literally put themselves on the market? It doesn't make sense. They-... The point of all this is for woman to find husbands to support them, why-"

"Why would Haruhi and Mokoto sell themselves when they're were already married?"

"Yeah!"

"I still don't know that either." Looking and turning his screen back towards himself, Kyouya pursed his lips and pondered for realistic ideas. "Why leave the lap of luxury for something else? You know Hikaru and Kaoru would give anything to them if they asked. They're suckers like that."

The room fell silent.

* * *

It had been a year and a half since Haruhi went missing, and now it was going on to the third day since Mokoto had gone missing. There wasn't any trace of either one of them, and no one had a clue were they were, where they could have been, or where they were going, if they were going anywhere, or could go anywhere.

Hikaru was well passed feeling the emotions of fear and doubt. What he felt now was just sever emptiness and heartbreak. He stopped blaming himself and everyone around him, and now only blamed her. It was all Haruhi's fault that he was alone, and in pain so much.

It was her fault he caused pain to himself, and he refused to see it any other way.

Kaoru on the other hand, has had no clue where his own wife was for the past three days, and he was a nervous wreck. He was stressed to the bone and had practically been pulling his hair out since day one. He was scared, and he blamed no one but himself for this.

Not once had he ever _not_ trusted Mokoto. He let her do everything she wanted. If she wanted to have a 'girls night' with coworkers, he'd let her, and sometimes she'd be home at midnight and he'd lecture her about time. She'd apologize for not calling, but she was forgetful and she'd do it again.

Not once had he ever thought that she might leave him for another man like Hikaru continuously accused Haruhi for. Unlike his brother, Kaoru knew that Mokoto loved him. Every time she'd tell him, he wouldn't think otherwise.

Hikaru had been telling him that since Mokoto left with his car and his money, that she left him the first free time she got, and wasn't coming back, but Kaoru refused to believe she'd do that. Because he knew she wouldn't.

She was pregnant and they had plans. She wouldn't just leave him so suddenly. He knew she was happy with him. She loved the life of a big house and a lot of money, she said she didn't care about it, but she did like it. She liked having maids tend to her every whim. She had told him occasionally that she felt lucky to have found a nice, attractive and rich man and married him.

She wouldn't leave on her own and he knew that.

And he had become a little irritated with his beloved twin who had no words for him other than that his wife left him for his money, and he'd never see her again.

But even continuous critical comments from his brother, Kaoru couldn't stay mad at him.

Because everything he was saying, might be true to him. He was only speaking from personal experience.

Haruhi might have left Hikaru, but she didn't take his money, or his car, She didn't even take her jacket.

Nothing made sense anymore, and Kaoru was beginning to feel sick.

It didn't help either with his mother in-law calling him, telling him that he was stupid for letting Mokoto go anywhere by herself, and that it would be his fault if she never came home and she'd never get to see her first grandchild.

Kaoru placed his phone on the couch cushion beside him after speaking with his mother-in-law and hid his face in his hands, trying to soothe his nerves with happy thoughts.

In a tone that sounded as if he was trying not to cry, he rubbed his fingers into his temples. "Have you ever felt so suck that you want to puke, but you can't?"

Hikaru, with sober emotionless eyes, turned his head to look at his brother. "I used to when thinking about her... Now I only feel like that when I'm drunk."

Kaoru twitched, curling his lip and looked at his twin as he stared at the glass in his hand. A glass that was half empty with wine. Over the past couple of days, Kaoru had constantly gone to his brothers house, and learned that what Kagami said was true.

Hikaru was becoming an alcoholic.

Kaoru looked away. "Could you not drink that in front of me? It's almost taunting and I don't want to get into that."

Hikaru raised his eyebrow, and if tauntingly, he took another spin. "You're on my couch."

The younger twin sighed and leaned into the couch cushions, folding his arms, trying to avoid eye contact with his brother. The smell of the alcohol was almost enticing, but Hikaru refused to stop even when asked nicely to.

He furrowed his brow and turned his head. "It's like you don't care. You know that drinking the way you've been isn't healthy."

Hikaru made a dull abrupt sound of blowing air through his clenched teeth and clearly wasn't offended. "Because I _don't_."

"How long has this been going on, Hikaru?"

"'Bout a week, maybe two."

Kaoru lowered his gaze, giving the floor a worried expression. "You've drank more than a normal person should in just a week. Look at yourself, Hikaru."

Hikaru took a deep breath and lowered his glass, staring at the closest wall, looking at the detail in the textured paint. "Someone's being awfully critical today. I'm not judging _you_."

"I'm not judging you, Hikaru. I just don't like you drinking so much. A little's fine, but you've had two cups now and it's only eight."

"I don't care. It doesn't bother me."

"It bothers me, you're my-"

"No one's forcing you to stay here and watch me like a hawk, monitoring my alcohol intake. You act like it's a problem."

"It _is_ a problem."

Hikaru pursed his lips as he turned back his brother, moving his hand in front of his face, looking into his glass. Kaoru sighed leaned more into the couch cushion, easing away from him.

"I don't even like this stuff." He said quietly, looking at the intoxicating liquid as he tilted the glass. "But I'd rather be drunk than not. You feel a lot more things when you're sober. It hurts more."

Kaoru crossed his legs and leaned his head back on the head rest of the couch. Closing his eyes as he thought about that. "I don't know what to do anymore. I don't want to just sit here when I could be-"

"Out looking for her?"

"Something."

"That'd be pointless. It's just be a waste of effort." Hikaru sat sideways on the other side of the couch leaning his back against the padded arm. "There isn't anything you can do. The same people who are looking for Haruhi, and looking for Mokoto. There isn't anything else you can do other than to sit there and hope she calls you. Maybe to tell you that she got stranded with a flat tire and had to hide out at a hotel in the middle no nowhere."

Kaoru's shoulder dropped. His heart hurt for himself and his twin. "You're still waiting for, Haruhi to call?"

Hikaru wanted to laugh as he laid his lips against the rim of his glass. "Pfft, screw her... I'm not waiting for anyone. I've given up. I don't care anymore. I don't know why there's so many people still looking for her. Even after I told them not to, They're Kyouya's men so they're still out there looking for her."

"Why would you tell them to stop looking for her? Hika... I thought-"

"Because I don't care anymore."

"Since when?" Kaoru almost exclaimed, looking at him again, his forehead creased with wrinkles. "Two months ago you were still-"

"What am I supposed to do? Keep all these people looking for her? for how much longer? two, three more years? The people looking for Haruhi have lives too, I'm not going to force them to keep looking for someone who doesn't want to come home."

"Maybe she does want to come home."

He looked intently into his glass again, his voice having no emotion. "If she does or if she doesn't that doesn't mean that I'd want her to come home."

Kaoru's head throbbed even more now. "Not want Haruhi to come home? Then why all this effort Hikaru? Don't put your own words to Haruhi's actions. She might not have done anything wrong, she's your wife you're supposed to-"

"She's my wife, but that doesn't mean anything to me anymore."

"I don't understand."

Very bluntly, Hikaru lowered his glass and his eyes were instantly met with his brothers. "I despise her."

Kaoru's face softened. "No you don't. You're just confused. You're imagining these things and your taking your own word for it. You just forgot what it feels like to have her here."

"No. I hate her."

"You don't, if you did you wouldn't have married her, or have tried to so to find her this past year."

"I hate her guts Kaoru." He finally said out loud, his lips and eyebrows twitching as he tried not to frown. "I hate her. I tried not to, and I've thought about it, but I really don't feel the same way about her anymore. The things I say about her may or may not be true, but it doesn't matter, because it's too late to think otherwise. I hate her."

Kaoru didn't know how to reply, so he didn't say anything at all. Hikaru took the silence as a time to think about what he had just admitted. He stared at his brother and could see the hurt in his eyes as his gaze was targeted to nowhere in particular.

Yes, he hated her. A year ago from today he was at wits end with everyone's sympathy, and he was at the peak of his continuous worrying, because his wife had been missing for five months. He was trying so hard, and hadn't slept practically at all, and eating had always made him sick.

Back then, the longer Haruhi was gone, the more days that passed his heart hurt even more because he loved her so much and just wanted her to come home. Now though, he didn't feel the same about her at all. He said he hated her because he did.

He hated her. He didn't want her to come home. He didn't care where she was. Dead or not, he didn't care. Fear and hurt and his other pent up emotions took over and turned into just pure hatred. Mixed with the alcohol, it was calm hatred that just filled him to the core.

Kaoru, after thinking about what he could do, turned back to his brother and pouted. "You're drunk."

Hikaru brought himself out of his thoughts as he noticed his glass was empty. "Yeah."

"You never admitted that you hated her when sober... so I'll avoid calling you an asshole and will just blame it on the alcohol."

Looking away, Hikaru ignored that potentially hurtful insult and leaned his head back into the arm of the sofa. His eyes moved to look at his cup but placed it back on the table after seeing that the wide was gone. He then looked at the wine bottle he was drinking from and noticed that, that was also empty.

He had drank through the whole bottle of wine without realizing it. He had a headache, but unlike last time, he didn't feel sick. His body was becoming immune to all the alcohol he was drinking at once.

As his skin tingled, he realized that he might have a problem.

A problem, because he didn't think he'd be able to go another day without having alcohol.

"That's why..." Hikaru said quietly, receiving Kaoru's curious attention. "That's why I told everyone who's been looking for her, to stop... and to look for Mokoto. They'd have a better chance at finding her. I waited too long before looking for Haruhi. It's partly my fault why I hate her so much."

Kaoru looked at the glass on the table that his brother was holding, and ached inside at how much he had drank in the last two hours of them sitting there. He took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling.

"You don't wish... just a little bit, that she'd come home?"

"...No."

"Have you ever thought about what you would say to her, if she suddenly did come back?"

"I'd be too upset to even look at her..."

Kaoru looked at his lap and stuck his hands into his pockets. His eyes burned with threatening tears, but he knew he wasn't about to cry. It was just torturing him. His wife was missing, and had been missing for a couple of days, and his brother was broken. His brother was now an emotionless shell with no feelings. The sadness finally ate him away inside. Anger and hatred was what replaced it all.

His voice was so silent as he spoke, he didn't expect be heard. "But Mokoto didn't leave..."

"I didn't think Haruhi would either." Hikaru shrugged laying his wrist over his forehead. "Woman can't just tell you to your face that they don't like you. They just leave and think that you'd be okay with it."

Kaoru gripped the soft fabric of his hoodie. "But... She wouldn't."

"And then you'll regret the day you ever met, because she doesn't give a damn about you." Hikaru turned his head to the side, looking at his tinted reflection in the empty wine bottle. "But eventually you'll forget what she even looks like and it won't hurt anymore."

He remembered Haruhi sitting next to him, leaning against his shoulder. Her brown hair was soft between his fingers, and her velvet like hands on his thigh. He tried to remember her big bright eyes and her pretty pale lips smiling at him, but he couldn't. He couldn't remember how pink her cheeks were. The creases in her forehead from scowling at him so much. He couldn't remember... in his head, her face was blank.

Pictures wouldn't help. He'd know what she looked like back then when she was with him, but what she looked like now was a mystery.

"...No, Mokoto wouldn't, she just went to the store. Her mother borrowed her car so she took mine, she went shopping so she took my credit card." Kaoru explained quietly, as though he was telling himself this. "She wouldn't just leave, she has nowhere else to go. She wouldn't leave without telling her mom and-"

"Haruhi didn't tell Ranka either."

In a firmer voice, Kaoru glared at his twin. "Haruhi and Mokoto aren't the same person. Just because you think Haruhi left you for no reason doesn't mean Mokoto did."

"You say this, then three months later you find divorce paperwork in your mailbox because she found someone else and doesn't want to be married to you anymore."

"Damn it! Can you just go back to being my big brother for five minutes?" Kaoru exclaimed, clenching his hands tightly. "I don't even know who you are anymore. Your negative, drunken attitude is pissing me off. And I'm not going to blame the alcohol, you've been acting like a total jerk since day one."

Hikaru turned his head and returned the hard look. "I didn't ask you to come here. I'm not exactly the perfect person to give advice or sympathy towards someone else. I don't know what you want me to tell you."

Kaoru growled and stood up. "You don't have to say anything. My mother-in-law hates my guts right now, mother's in Tahiti and probably doesn't know what the hell's going on. I'm not asking for your compassion. I didn't even ask for your help. I just wanted my brother to tell me it'd be okay, not that my wife left me for another guy."

Too taken aback by his words, Hikaru just sat there, watching his brother face soften from a glare to a look of hurt. Kaoru didn't say anything else to him and just grabbed his phone off the table and turned around, obviously not intending on saying anything else to him.

He listened to his footsteps as he stared at the floor. His little brothers words hit him like a brick to his chest, and the actually hurt. He hadn't realized what he was saying until his words were thrown right back at his face.

Before Kaoru could get too far, his arm was tugged back and he stumbled backwards. His grunted and glared over his shoulder, seeing his twin holding his wrist.

He furrowed his brow. "I'm going home."

"No... Don't leave." Hikaru grumbled. "I'm sorry."

Kaoru froze and lost tension in his shoulders, his face softening into a frown. That was the first time in a long time that his brother actually apologized for saying something. No one had ever told him off since Haruhi was missing. They all felt too sorry for him to get mad at him. He just needed to be taken down a notch.

But no matter how hard he tried, Kaoru couldn't hold a grudge towards him for anything.

Looking defeated, Kaoru sighed and turned back around, having have given up on being mad. "...You're a jerk."

"I know."

"I'll stay, but you're not allowed to drink anymore while I'm here. You've had too much already."

Hikaru's lips, for the first time since Haruhi had gone missed, had curved into a tiny smile as he chuckled. "My cabinet's empty anyway."

Kaoru didn't chuckle back, or even replied. He was too disappointed. He watched his brothers alien smile fall from his lips as his face fell back into his usual straight expression. He didn't take but two steps forward before he snaked his arms around his brothers shoulders, stuffing his face into the crook of his neck.

Hikaru lowered his eyes let his body ease into his brother, and wrapped his arms around him in return, resting his forehead against his hair. The second he stopped moving he felt his twin tense around him. After a few more seconds of silence, he then felt him tremble slightly.

And he suddenly felt like a crappy big brother.

Twenty-five they may be, but that didn't take anything away from the fact that he was the older one, and was once in the same position as he was now and still was. His brother lost the very thing that he had and he was scared.

His neck felt hot as he breathed against his skin. Hikaru opened his eyes as he heard a long soft sniffle.

"Kaoru... I wasn't that big of a jerk. You don't have to cry."

Kaoru shook his head slightly and whispered in a hushed unsteady tone. "I'm not crying, I just..."

"I know... We'll find Mokoto." Hikaru's eyes were closed and he stroked his brother's hair through his fingers. "If we don't you'll end up something like me. Look at your choices."

"...If she doesn't come back it'd be all my fault."

"Nothings your fault Kaoru. Forget what I said."

"No... If she's hurt I'd be my fault. You were right, I was stupid. I shouldn't have let her go anywhere by herself until he found out what happened to Haruhi." Kaoru didn't trust his voice, so he spoke quietly. "Sometimes you just aren't appreciative of what you have until you loose it."

"No. You just don't think you'd ever loose it in the first place, so you don't think about it."

"...My gut hurts."

"That feeling doesn't go away."

"No amount of alcohol helps?"

"It makes it worse."

Kaoru was silent again, for a few moments as he clung tighter to his twin. tensing his arms tighter around his shoulders. His eyes burned and he had to blink away his tears of fear frustration. He bit his lip and felt his heart twinge as he mumbled into Hikaru's neck.

"...Mokoto's four months pregnant."

"..."

Somehow, that news didn't surprise him at all. While he thought that his sister-in-law was looking a little bigger around her middle, he just thought she was having too much junk food, and didn't think much of it. While he was a little offended that she was _four months_ pregnant and he just now was told this, he didn't argue and just held his brother tighter, feeling Kaoru grip his shirt.

"...How many know?"

"...Only a couple of people."

Hikaru didn't say anymore to that and just lightly brushed his lips against his twin's temple, only thinking that apologizing and holding him tighter for comfort would make up for his foul words towards his family.

"...I'm sorry, Kaoru."

 _Because she's not coming back either..._

* * *

The next day, was another day without any word of Mokoto, or Haruhi. Haruhi was obvious. No one had heard a word from her in over seventeen months, but Mokoto was starting to worry them.

Kaoru of course had slept over at Hikaru's house. They moved from the couch to Hikaru's bed and had slept there together. Having Kaoru fell asleep on his arm after talking so late at night. It was noon now and they sat at the table in the kitchen, everything was nice between him and his brother again and Kaoru was happy except for a few things.

For one, his pregnant wife was still missing and he was dying inside.

But for another, Kagami had invited herself over, and had apologized to Hikaru for not coming over the night before. Because she was busy visiting her mother.

She irritated the hell out of him, but he wasn't in much spirits to talk, much less argue with her.

Hikaru was in the shadows about the two of them, and didn't know why they had been shooting each other flares all morning, but he didn't question, because he knew that his brother didn't like her, but didn't know why, but frankly he didn't care.

Because he was suffering from another hangover.

"I hope I didn't burn it... I'm not used to making Miso soup like this. It's one of Haruhi's recipes. I'm not sure how she used to make it."

Hikaru didn't reply as Kagami placed a bowl in front of him. He didn't know how Haruhi made it either, but it never looked like that. "You don't need to make lunch, Kagami."

"I know, but you didn't eat lunch."

"I have a migraine."

"I know. I saw that you were drinking last night. You drank through your last bottle of wine." Her voice was quiet as she laid a hand on his shoulder, tensing her fingers around his muscles. "Do you want me to go to the store to buy you more? And some pain pills?"

Kaoru's eyes went wide as he looked up and saw Kagami lightly massaging his twins shoulders. He opened his mouth but the words he thought didn't come out of his mouth.

Was she... encouraging his habits?

Hikaru shook his head. "Do what you want, I don't care."

She frowned, smoothing his hair. "You never do."

Kaoru glowered at her and sunk into his seat, his hand on his cup of coffee. "Don't you have a job too, Kagami? Or do you spend all your time here?"

Hikaru wasn't paying attention to the attitude in his tone, and Kagami turned to scowl. "No. I'm an office administrator. I don't work weekends."

"It's Friday."

"I took today off."

"Why?"

"Kaoru, Don't pester her."

Kaoru grumbled under his breath. He indeed intended for her to hear, but she didn't. Kagami was too concerned with whispering a few words of her own to Hikaru and walking back to the stove to turn it off. He wanted to put her down. He wanted his brother to see what he saw in her, and see what she was.

A money blinded homewrecker who only saw his brother as a fine retreat to the good life. He was sad and desperate for love even if he denied it, and she was a pretty single female who was all for giving herself to him.

She was taking away Haruhi's life and he could see the look in her eyes, telling him that she knew the very same thing, and knew exactly what she was doing.

Just as Kaoru got more comfortable in his seat and focused on his coffee, the door in the from the main hall slammed open, and they could tell that it was the front door because it was rather loud for the distance. Everyone in the room jumped and the maid who was standing in the corner organizing the towels quickly left the room to see what that was.

No one said a word to each other and Kagami innocently started rinsing the dishes she had used. Kaoru was curious but he didn't move. Hikaru rested his elbows on the table and dug his middle fingers into his temples, having his brain throb inside his skull.

It wasn't until the kitchen door swung open that the three of them whirled around in surprise.

Kyouya stood there for just a second but without another look, he walked right to the table, slamming a file down in between the twins.

"Kyouya..." Hikaru muttered, his brow twitching. "It'd be nice if you'd knock."

He looked at him with a firm obviously irritated scowl and laid his fingers on the orange file. "I don't have time for that. I found them."

Hikaru looked away. "Don't tell me that now. I'm tired of-"

"Where?" Kaoru piped up, eyeing the file curiously. "Did you find them? Are they with you?"

The raven haired man shook his head. "No."

"Pfft," Hikaru laid his cheek on his palm. "Exactly. This is so old, Kyouya. And I told you that we're not looking for Haruhi anymore, just as long as we're looking for-"

"I didn't find Haruhi. I might know where she's been. But I don't know where she is now." He turned opened the file between his finger and pulled out and inch thick stack of papers. "It's noon now, if we leave we'll be there by dinner."

"I'm not going anywhere so you can shove-"

Kaoru stood up and snatched the first paper that was on the pile. All he saw was words, so he flipped it over. It was a picture of his wife. "Ah! It's Mokoto!"

Kyouya nodded, his narrowed eyes hidden behind his glasses. "There in Kasagi... There's a place they went to. Believe it or not they went to the same place. Haruhi unfortunately isn't there, or I seriously doubt that she is, but Mokoto's still there."

Hikaru looked at the pile Kyouya placed on the table by him and raised his eyebrow. He wasn't buying it at all. "Well I'm not leaving. You have no idea how many times you've said things like this."

Kyouya closed his eyes momentarily before flipping his fingers through the pile of papers. He pulled an identical paper that had Mokoto's image on it and slid it towards Hikaru. "I'm not here for you to talk about, Haruhi. I have no idea where she is, but she was there not to long ago."

Hikaru looked down at the paper and Haruhi's face stared back at him flat on the paper. Even in the picture her eyes were wide and curious, but she wore no readable expression. His heart turned. He hadn't looked at a picture of her in a long time. But in the picture, she looked exactly how she did when she first left.

"...Where did you get this?"

"That's old. I have no idea what she looks like now. The date's in the corner." Kyouya explained. "It's the only one of her though."

"It says it was taken four days after she went missing."

"That's right."

"...Why are you showing me this then, if you don't know where she is?"

Kyouya didn't answer right away and turned back to the now empty envelope. "I don't think Mokoto had any intentions in leaving that day. I don't know about Haruhi, but Mokoto didn't leave willingly. She's here. It says so on her profile."

Kaoru looked down at his wife's picture and and leaned back into the cushioned seat. His eyes moved away from it though as Kagami finally came out from the background and stood behind Hikaru, laying her hand on the paper with Haruhi's picture on it. She wore an emotionless expression.

She looked at Hikaru, looking for a reaction to this, but Hikaru just sat there. After a few moments she flickered him a smile. "...She was pretty."

 _Pretty..._

 _Yeah... she was._

Hikaru pushed the paper away from him, as though it had personally offended him. "Bring Mokoto home then."

Kaoru flinched at the sound of his wife's name and a grin spread like wildfire over his cheeks. He had to bite his lip. He looked at her picture more, but the more he thought about it, the more confused he was.

"But..." he murmured. "...I don't get it. Didn't leave willingly? So she was k-"

"I'm guessing."

"But... for what? I don't understand. If she didn't, than where's, Haruhi?"

"It's taken a long time, and this place is very isolated. It's not wonder why he haven't found it before, or even come across it." Kyouya's voice lowered as he finished. "This place is for woman to get jobs mostly, but under the mask they're also a place to hook up."

"...Hook up?"

"With partners. Woman come here to meet men."

Kagami just gave him a weird look. "Mokoto and Haruhi are married, so why would-"

"I still don't know why Haruhi would, but Mokoto isn't in the situation to leave Kaoru for someone else, Haruhi could, but I don't know..." He pushed his glasses up as they were falling down. "If Haruhi was there, but isn't now, she could have found something else a job maybe to support herself and keep her from coming home to live on her own, but if she isn't there that could also mean that someone paid a high price for her."

Hikaru's forehead twitched. "High price...?"

"High price as in, over a hundred thousand yen." Kyouya turned to him again. "Someone bought, Haruhi."

* * *

 **[ Important Message ]**

 **It is fifteen chapters in and it's nowhere near over yet. Thank you all so much for all the kind words and reviews, and favorites, and also thank you for those you don't review. It makes me happy knowing that you're reading this. A few have asked about a Haruhi pov part of the story. If enough people think that it's a good idea, I might post a Haruhi version on the story after I finish with this one. Does that sound like a god idea? Would people read it?**


	16. Chapter 16

**Wasted Time**

* * *

"...Hika?"

"What?"

"Nothing you just... you're really quiet."

Hikaru stared out the window of the car. He gripped the fabric of the inside of his pockets through his fingers and raped his heel against the floorboard beneath him. The car was silent with just the three of them inside, plus their driver.

Kyouya was busy doing god only knows what on his tablet. Kaoru was sitting beside him, looking uncomfortable, and was hushed by his intense thinking. They were quiet but they occasionally whispered something to each other, Hikaru though, was completely silent and hadn't said a word since they exited his house.

They left that morning Kyouya came over. Hikaru himself couldn't care less when they'd leave (he didn't want to go at all) but Kaoru couldn't, and didn't want to waste another second.

They scrammed themselves into the same row of the limo, and seduced themselves to a long five hour car ride to Kyoto. They weren't sure what they were expecting when going there, but they didn't think it would be good.

Kyouya had said that there was woman there, and that it was a café, and their wives put themselves on the market to be bought by single men. Just like mail order brides, their wives were placed in a catalog and were sold at high prices.

That's the last thing Hikaru expected of Haruhi. Because... why would she sell herself to a man when there was a very slim chance that she'd be bought by someone who had more money than himself?

Why would Mokoto do that to herself if she was pregnant with Kaoru baby? Why would Haruhi do that if she was already married? Didn't she know what he'd give her anything she wanted if she'd just ask for it? She didn't need to get it from someone else.

Kaoru wiggled awkwardly in his seat, looking out the window. Then he looked at his brother who was sitting at his side. Then towards Kyouya, the car was slowing down as they turned to a narrower, longer, two way street. He couldn't take the waiting anymore. He just wanted to find Mokoto and take her home.

And never let her leave the house. He never wanted to feel like this again. If they found her here, he'd never let her out of his sight.

He breathed unsteadily, biting his lip as he turned to see his reflection in Kyouya's glasses.

"...How much longer? We've been in here for hours already? Where is this place?"

Kyouya sighed, pressing his glasses with his middle finger. "We're almost there. Kasagi is a little town practically in the middle of nowhere, near a bunch of tea farms."

Kaoru frowned, clenching his hand around the door handle impatiently. "...I feel like I should be doing something else. I know there isn't anything else to do, but even just sitting here feels like wasted time. Teleportation would be nice in this generation."

Kyouya stayed silent, but finally Hikaru had something to ay, and turned to him with an annoyed expression.

"Stop complaining that you're not doing enough. You're doing more than everyone else is. You're not a saint. Mokoto doesn't expect you to be a hero." He grumbled, his brow twitching. "You're doing everything that's humanly possible. Sitting here isn't a waste of time."

Kaoru stared at him until Hikaru turned away. He didn't mean to piss him off, he was just talking, saying what he felt. True, he did think that he should be doing something else, looking for his wife some other way rather than sitting there in the limo for five hours.

Hikaru was right though, he was sitting in the car for five hours because they were going to go look for her. It wasn't a waste, but still he couldn't help but feel that these five hours that had passed by, something could be happening elsewhere. Someone who he didn't know could be with Mokoto and he was in the car, not being able to help her.

He looked at his brother but his back was turned to him. Hikaru was too busy looking out the window to look at him back. Maybe what he said offended him. Maybe he was still upset about Haruhi, and maybe that what he said reminded him of her.

Kaoru couldn't see his expression, but he figured he was still mad at him. He bit his lip and looked out his own window as the air in the car became unbearably stiff.

No doubt this whole situation opened old wounds for his brother. Though as he said before, he didn't care about Haruhi and didn't care whether she came home or not so why was he upset about this? Or was he just worried about Mokoto, too?

His brother was hard to read sometimes.

Kaoru pouted and slumped his cheek on his fist, resting his elbow on the door. "...I guess."

Kyouya looked between the two of them and shook his head. Not knowing exactly what pushed them away, and broke their unbreakable bond.

The rest the half hour that was spent in the car was quiet. The men had gotten hot and bothered by each others company, and had lost track of the time.

The car suddenly came to a stop and the men leaned forward, then almost slammed back into their seats. Kyouya was about to curse their driver, but he looked out the window instead and saw the black and red sigh of the café. The one he had seen in pictures.

Hikaru grumbled a swear word under his breath that Kaoru could only hear, but he nearly jumped out of his seat ,decided that he'd just ignore his brother's bad mood for the rest of the day.

Acting as though he was still in high school, Kaoru threw his seat beat off and grabbed the doorknob. He was ready to yank it off and run but Kyouya's voice made him freeze where he sat.

"Remember, don't act cynical. Be professional for once, if you will." Kyouya muttered, calmly taking off his own seat beat opening the door himself. "This place has high security and they don't forget a face. You do something they dont' like they can very well throw us out and get us for trespassing."

"Wait..." Kaoru glared at the building they were parked at, as he climbed out of the car after, Kyouya. "They're selling people for money, how is that something the police look over?"

"It isn't illegal."

"Oh well that's nice. How is that not illegal?"

"It's up to the woman's choice, the woman are selling themselves. It's just a hook up place to meet husbands. There's really nothing wrong with this place. No ones getting hurt here."

Kaoru grumbled, puckering his lips. "I think that if Mokoto is here unwillingly, that maybe it _is_ illegal."

"Then again," Kyouya pulled out his sun glasses and slipped them on over his regular glasses. "Like your brother said... Your wife might not even like you and left you on purpose."

He pouted, stuffing his hands into his pockets. Hikaru sat down there in the car by himself for a few seconds as the others got out and stretched and got ready.

He didn't want to be there. He just wanted to go home. But thanks to Kyouya for dragging him out, he was going to have to stay in a hotel with them all until tomorrow morning with them.

There was a light clicking sound and he looked to the side. The chauffeur clicked his tongue and looked at him from outside the car. They exchanged strange glances before Hikaru rolled his eyes at his extended arm and climbed out the other side. He wasn't too keen on being there as Kaoru was.

In truths, Kaoru didn't want to be there at all, but he also didn't want his wife anywhere if it wasn't with him, so he endured it.

The sun was hidden by a large darkened cloud, casting a shadow on the area where they were standing. A breeze blew and it was chilled with the hint of Autumn. Leaves bustled past the sidewalk passed and under their feet.

"It looks like a normal coffee shop." Hikaru droned, running his fingers through his bangs. "A little fancy for this place, but-... don't tell me this is the wrong building."

"No, this is it. Remember what I told you? All it is, is a café, but inside there's something else." Kyouya took a deep breath and sent their driver hand signals, silently telling him what to do. After he left with their car, driving it down the street Kyouya straightened his blazer. "Hikaru?"

Hikaru looked over at him.

"Don't make a fool of yourself here. The people here might know who you are. They might not even trust us."

"How would they know who I am?"

"Because if these people know who Haruhi is, then they're going to know who you are and they're not going to like you."

"Then I'm leaving."

"No Hika," Kaoru piped up, grabbing his brother's arm. "Please don't... Help me, _please_?"

Hikaru yanked his arm away but he didn't go anywhere. He figured he had been a big enough jerk to his little brother that he deserved at least this from him. Even if they weren't going to find anything, or anyone, he could at least stand by him, and help him take the rejection and heartbreak.

Despondency over not being able to find your wife wasn't a nice feeling, and sucked when it was just yourself feeling all the disappointment.

He had been let down one too many times to know what that felt like.

It hurt, he didn't want his brother to feel like that ever. He wanted to protect him from those feelings, so he prayed. Prayed that they'd find her.

Kaoru's hand moved from his twin's arm and he straightened his posture. He looked at Kyouya and they both followed him inside down the caved entrance. Walking down the cement ramp they all walked inside of the building rather casually. Kaoru tensed up, expecting some sort of freaky science lab like room, but it was quite normal.

The red room was draped with black accents, and candles. Dark polished floors and low tables, giving it a classical stereotypical-like Chinese restaurant look. It smelt of fried food and eye burning concoctions.

There was high pitched footsteps and they flinched, watching a waitress walk up to them. Her bright green eyes added a nice color o her pale skin and dark hair that was pulled into a ponytail high over her neck.

"Masters," she greeted them, with a flustered smile. She pressed her large notepad to her chest. "How can I help you this evening? Would you like a table?"

"Why not."

Kyouya elbowed Hikaru in the side. "No. We're not here for that."

Her expression changed form friendly and inviting to pure confusion. After a couple of moments she closed her mouth and nodded, turning around after giving Kyouya a rather shy smile.

That smile however faded when she saw his wedding ring.

"I suppose you're here to see Mister Mitsuo?" She muttered, as though she was just answering her own question she waved her hand to motion them all to follow her. "He didn't say he was expecting anyone. I guess this is a reasonless occasion?"

They didn't answer her. Hikaru took a deep breath and clenched the fabric on his jacket between his fingers inside his pockets. He was tired and, while he was married and felt highly shamed of this, he actually thought the waitress was attractive.

In fact, all the women they passed or who assed them, were attractive to him. it had been a long time since he had thought any woman was even pretty after Haruhi disappeared, and it made his gut hurt.

Twenty-five. He was at his prime for love and happiness. He had that, and it hurt him in the end. He didn't plan on ever getting that back.

It didn't take long for the twins to feel uncomfortable in the strange hallway that was lined with doors that were painted the same color as the walls. If Kyouya was as uneasy, he didn't show it. He wore the same emotionless expression.

The waitress opened the door and they were greeted with a nice inciting smell of a sweet aroma of pumpkin and spice. It was a cozy smell, making the room feel like a home.

Hikaru was silent as they stepped into the large room. There was tables and chairs everywhere like it was a cafeteria. He was looking around with his brow narrowed, as he subconsciously followed the waitress.

"He's in his office. You may look around if you'd like, while I go get him." She explained, bowing to them as she made her leave. "Please, have a seat."

Hikaru stuck his nose up at her when she turned her back then looked over his shoulder. There was a small group of middle aged woman in the corner, covering half their mouths, whispering to each other and giggling. He gave them a dental click of his tongue in displeasure and looked away when they wiggled their fingers at him.

 _Women..._

He turned to Kyouya, who was also looking around. "I don't want to be here anymore."

Kyouya rolled his eyes. "Calm down. We'll get what we came for and we'll leave. Dinner sounds nice afterwards, doesn't it?"

Hikaru clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. His blood felt hot under his skin and he wanted to explode. But he didn't know why. He just felt like screaming. So much frustration had built up that now he was just hot and bothered with it and wanted to shake the closet person senseless.

He didn't answer him and just looked around again, maybe hoping he'd find what they were looking for, and they'd be able to go home sooner. Unfortunately none of the girls looked familiar, or even close to Mokoto or, Haruhi.

"Ah, welcome gentlemen, how can I help you this evening? The café is closing soon." An elder man said with a chuckle, he took a deep breath and stood up straight once he got in front of them. "Is there anything special you're looking for?"

Hikaru looked at the man and before Kyouya could even open his mouth, he walked up to him. He towered a good foot over the man, looking intimidating.

The man blinked, looking up and down at Hikaru. "Um sir... can I help you?"

"Where is she?"

"...There's a lot of 'she's' here, sir..."

"Mokoto Hitachiin. You know where she is."

"...Mokoto?"

"You fucking know what I'm talking about."

Kaoru looked at his brother and reached out t grab his arm and pull him back, but Hikaru shrugged off his hand and closed the gap a little more between himself and the old man.

Mitsuo gasped inwards. "Sir I-... I don't know who you're talking about. There isn't any woman here with that name. I would know."

What everyone didn't know that day, was that Hikaru was still suffering from his untreated hangover, and hadn't had a decent nights sleep in two weeks. He was twitchy and irritated and just wanted to go home.

He didn't have the patience for liars.

Hikaru grabbed the front of his shirt, and pushed his backwards until the elder man's back was met with the wall behind him. Kaoru gasped and called out to him to let him go, but Hikaru didn't listen to him, and acted as though he hadn't said a thing.

The men looked at him with wide eyes, full of confusion. "S-..sir what're you-"

"I swear to god, I am capable of making you feel a lot of pain. Don't toy with me right now. I'm not in the mood."

"...I-... I don't know what-"

"Sorry! I'm sorry... He's not stable." Kaoru apologized, gripping his brothers elbow, shoving him away from the old man who was barely gaining back his breath after being shoved into the wall. "He has a condition... He isn't right in the head sometimes. I apologize."

Hikaru hissed through his clenched teeth. "I'm not."

"Hikaru, not know."

"He knows."

Kaoru glared, whispering. " _Not now_ , Hikaru. Could you act civilized for once?"

" _Oh_ , could _I_ act civilized?" Hikaru raised his brow, throwing his arm out to the old man who was talking to Kyouya now. "You of all people should understand. I was not taken out of the house, to be brought here and to be lied to in the face. You saw his face when I mentioned her name. He hesitated on purpose."

"Well we're not going to get anyone back if you beat up old people."

"He's asking for it. Look at him."

"No Hikaru, _you're_ asking for it. Good god, no one is going to enjoy your company anymore if you keep acting like this. Is this the alcohol or you just not being able to control yourself?"

Hikaru looked at Kaoru and took a deep breath. He didn't know what was the matter with him either. How did they know for certain that, they were here anyway? He was blinded by his stress and frustration that he wanted to strangle everyone. Including his brother who seemed to be invading his personal space.

He had officially hit all stages.

Fear, sadness, depression, isolation, anger, regret, aggression. He was becoming aggressive.

He was becoming a different person. Someone he despised but someone who didn't care.

He didn't care that he was being unpleasant. He didn't care if people didn't like him.

Why? He didn't understand, why.

"I'm sorry, but you all have to leave now." The man muttered, obviously annoyed. "It closing and we don't like to have visitors after seven."

"I apologize for the inconvenience, mister Mitsuo, but we really can't leave. It's taken us all day to get here and we'd really like to not have our long trip be a waste." Kyouya admitted, with the friendliest smile he could muster. "We'd like to take a look at a certain... category if you might say? There's something in particular in our friends mind if you know what I mean."

Mitsuo looked between the threw of them with a suspicious glare. "No... I think you need to leave now."

"That isn't going to happen. I'd really like to not use unnecessary precautions, sir."

"No. You need to leave now. No need for unnecessary precautions. I have security with a twenty-four hour shift. I'd really like to not call them."

"We've not leaving until we get what we came for."

He raised his brow. "Mister Ootori, are you trying to rob me? I said you have to leave."

"We're not leaving. We're looking for a girl."

"A girl?" He sounded a little shocked. "One? For all three of you?"

"What? N-... No. Just one of us." Kyouya was starting to have the same feelings as, Hikaru. "Black hair, mid twenties, pregnant. About five feet four inches. You can't have a lot of those."

Kaoru gave him a weird look. "Could we not talk about her like she's an object?"

"I'm sorry..." Mitsuo grumbled, his lips twitching. "There was only one girl here like that, and she isn't here anymore. She found someone and left."

Kaoru's face fell as he looked at Kyouya, as though he had all the answers. "She's not here anymore...?"

Hikaru sighed, side stepping slightly in front of his twin to grip his hand. Kaoru gave him a look but didn't say anything.

After grabbing his twins hand, and squeezing it comfortingly, Hikaru pulled away and glared. "He's lying."

Kyouya raised his brow at old man. "...When did she leave?"

"...Two days ago."

"Your website says that she's still present. Don't worry, I saw the one I want."

"...Uh..."

Kyouya's face hardened into his own, merciful scowl. "Let him go, Kaoru."

Kaoru stepped away from his twin and Hikaru instantly began shrugging off his jacket. "You son of a bitch."

"No! Okay..." Mitsuo inhaled sharply, taking a step back, making Hikaru freeze. "I think I made a mistake... I didn't realize that you were looking for... for that I mean... her. I... I'll escort you to her room?"

Kyouya just nodded.

Hikaru cursed and pulled his jacket back on.

* * *

Her head hurt, and she was having cramps. Her neck was kinked after she had accidentally dozed off in an uncomfortable position, and on of her husband's back massages sounded nice right about then, but she couldn't fix any of these problems.

With her black hair draped over her sweaty forehead, Mokoto groaned and pulled at her hands that were behind the chair she sat on. Her lower back was aching and she tried to stand up but she was stuck.

She should just stop trying really, because she had been stuck where she sat for the last hour and a half.

Biting her lip, she wiggled uncomfortably and looked over her shoulder. She might not have been put there in that room, if she hadn't have tried to leave three times in the last four days. The men were gentlemen before she had started, what they called, 'misbehaving'. Then they were jerks and locked her in her own room.

Tongue in cheek, Mokoto laid her head back on the hard wood of the chair and stared at the ceiling. She pouted and focused her eyes on the cheap ugly details on the textured paint. She missed, Kaoru.

And to think, this all could have been avoided had the baby not wanted cookies that day. It couldn't have had beef, which they had a lot of, but no. It wanted cookies.

She closed her eyes for only a second and got a little comfortable on the cushion, the door that was locked shut, suddenly swung open and nearly slammed into the wall. She gasped and sat up a little straighter, her eyes wide as she saw who stood in the doorway.

Her face lit up and she tried to stand up, but again she forgot that her hands were stuck. "Kyouya?"

Kyouya smirked, as though he was self congratulating himself, and barely had enough time to step aside when Kaoru shoved past him with the biggest grin on his face. Hikaru leaned against the doorframe with a scowl on his face. He had just looked over his shoulder to give his two cents in, to the old man who had tried to lie, but the man was gone.

"Mokoto!"

Her cheeks brightened up with a tint of pink the second her eyes met with her husband's. "Kaoru!"

It didn't take Kaoru long to get to her. He stopped in front of the chair and dropped to sit on the balls of his feet. Being just below eye level with her. Grabbing her cheeks, he forced her face forward.

"You're okay" He managed to breath to himself, hiding his fingers in her hair behind her ears. "I thought you'd be in worse shape... Are you okay? Hurt? Did they touch you? Is the..." He glanced at her stomach for a second before looking back up at her concerned.

She couldn't the right words out so she shook her head. "No... They groped me in places I didn't feel comfortable for their hand to be, but I'm okay."

He let out a large breath, dropping his shoulders. His lips curved upwards. "I don't know if that makes me feel better or not, but that's good... I think."

She grinned, feeling his soft hand on her cheeks. She tensed her shoulders leaned into him, until she felt his velvet smooth lips brush against hers softly. Her heart hammered against her chest and she wanted to throw her arms around him, but she couldn't.

Pulling away, Kaoru gave her a weird look. "What's the matter?"

"...I'm stuck."

He blinked, looking over her shoulder, seeing how her arms were around the width of the chair she sat on. "...You're... you're tied up?"

"They didn't want me to leave."

He scowled and reached his hands around her shoulders. his fingers brushed against the thin short rope that was used to pull her wrists together and tugged at it until he realized that he couldn't untie it. He grunted and pulled at it with both his large hands until it snapped and fell to the floor.

She winced "Ow! it snapped."

He panicked. "Sorry!"

She looked back at them, and seconds after patting her small stomach, she giggled and lunged for him, wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Kissing his cheeks, and his chin, and his nose, until her lips finally made their way to his lips again.

He fell backwards and she ended up in his lap. She grabbed his face this time and forcefully planted countless of kisses along his lips and jaw. He had to close his eyes at once point from the overwhelming passion.

Kyouya looked away from then and turned to his side to glimpse at Hikaru. He was staring at the two of them on the floor with foggy eyes. His mouth was slightly curved and Kyouya pressed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, taking slight enjoyment in his look.

"...You're smiling."

Hikaru blinked and turned his head. His face loosing all ounce of expression. "...We should leave. Before they call security. I don't think that guy likes me."

"You did threaten to make him _bleed_."

He fell silent and looked down at the floor, scratching it with the two of his shoe. "I might have gotten a little bitter recently."

"A little?"

"Don't push it."

Kyouya leaned against the other side of the door frame. He looked at his watch then tilted his head where the light from the ceiling reflected off his glasses perfectly, hiding his eyes. He looked back over at Hikaru but his gaze wasn't returned.

"...We'll find her eventually, Hikaru."

Hikaru just shook his head. Looking back at his brother and sister-in-law, he didn't bother replying.

 _...I wish I could feel the same._

* * *

He sighed and placed his phone down. "...They found her."

She turned and raised her brow. "...They did?"

"I bet you're happy."

"..."

He looked at her, his jaw clenched in all seriousness. "...Hey?"

"Yes?"

"...You won't leave me, will you? You'll stay with me forever?"

Her shoulder dropped and she frowned. "You're drunk, Katsu."

"Will you?"

"Yes... I'll stay with you."

"You won't leave me?"

"No."

"Do you promise?"

She nodded, taking his glass. "Of course."

He bit his lip. His fingers just grazing hers. "...I love you, Haruhi."

"I love you, too, Katsu..."


	17. Chapter 17

**Addicted**

* * *

"I missed you."

Mokoto looked over her shoulder, but her husbands face was hidden in her hair. "I missed you, too."

Kaoru frowned, squeezing his arms around her waist as they laid in bed, propped up on their pillows. "I was worried about you."

"I know, you said that already."

"But I was. I was worried about you. You were gone for almost a week. I thought I wasn't-"

"You'll make yourself upset again, Kaoru. It's okay now."

He furrowed his brow and rubbing his nose against her neck as her head rested on his shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay? Like you don't need to see a therapist or anything? Do you want to talk about it? You haven't said anything about since we got home-"

"Honey, I am a therapist. I'm fine. It really wasn't that bad there. Most of the people there were nice."

"Most, not all of them. Some people can be real assholes. Like that room can be filled with a bunch of Hikaru's."

Mokoto curled her nose, pinching his thumb. "That's not nice. Hikaru looked upset this evening at dinner. Did someone tell him that Haruhi was there, but they didn't find her?"

"No, he's an alcoholic and probably was depressed because I wouldn't let him have any alcohol then." Kaoru huffed, pulling her closer. "He hasn't been the most pleasant person to be around. Especially recently."

"Why are you being mean to him?"

He pouted. "Why are you always on his side?"

"Because he isn't a jerk for no reason. He was always easily aggravated and rude anyway, even when Haruhi was still here. She's been gone a long time, he changed. Things like this do things to people. Some grow out of it, but your brother's stubborn and he's still really attached to Haruhi. He's a jerk now, but only because he doesn't know how to handle all this. All the false information about her is hurting him a lot. Calling him an asshole is pretty uncalled for."

"I know but..." He grumbled, biting his lip. "He doesn't have to drink. He's done well not doing that. Earlier when he wasn't around Kagami or drinking, he wasn't that bad. Everyone felt sorry for him because he wouldn't go anywhere or do anything. Now he's... he's mean and really verbal that no one feels sorry for him anymore. We're tired of being cussed at."

Her expression softened. "He's drinking now?"

"That's what I said earlier."

"I thought you were just being over exaggerate. I didn't think he was drinking... I thought he had kept himself away from that on purpose."

"I blame, Kagami. It's all her fault."

"Kaoru, your attitude towards her is shameful. You don't even know why you hate her."

"I know exactly why I hate her." He frowned at the ceiling. His hushed voice vivid. "She's taking advantage of Hikaru and she likes that Haruhi isn't here. She's doing this all on purpose. It's sickening."

She felt his tighten his grip on her hand. "And why do you think that? Just because she's a girl and she's around him al the time? If she was a guy you wouldn't think that. Your opinion on your brother has been exceptionally low recently."

"...True, but my brother wouldn't sleep with a guy."

"What?"

"Hikaru and Kagami have been having romantic relations with each other. I know because she told me."

"...I really-"

"They sleep together, Mokoto. She told me like she was bragging about it. And she's always there with him, hugging up on his shoulder and making his food. She kissed his cheek and started whispering things to him the last time I was with them. She's pure evil."

"...I hardly think that this is really our business Kaoru. You shouldn't talk about their lives out loud."

"...Still, she makes me mad and I want her gone."

"You got into an argument with her while I wasn't here, didn't you?"

"It wasn't an argument. I told her what she was doing and she flat out told me that she wasn't doing what I assumed and that she was actually helping him with his depression. And that he was actually happy to have her around."

Mokoto just nodded, laying her head against his. Getting more comfortable.

"She said he wanted her there and that he thought that she was Haruhi. I bet they kissed. That dirty w-"

"Kaoru Hitachiin. Go to bed."

"But Mo, she's Satan. I swear. She's the god of manipulation. You can see it in her face. She knows she's being evil."

"..."

"And the look she gives me every time I walk in to talk to Hikaru. She has this ugly smug-like smirk. It's disgusting. I hate her."

"..."

"...And she knows I hate it. Ever since Hikaru started hanging around her he's started drinking, avoiding everyone, and... he admitted out loud that he hated Haruhi and he said he doesn't even want her home anymore."

He frowned, his nose curled in displeasure as he turned his head to look at her. "...Are you even listening anymore?"

Mokoto gave out a long sigh and pulled the blankets over her head. He took the hint and reached over to turn the light off.

"I think you've grown a fetish, babe." She said lightly, pressing her face into his shirt.

He snaked his arms around her and stuffed his nose into her hair. "I want her gone."

"That's Hikaru's choice."

"But he won't listen to me."

"Then maybe he wants her around. You should respect his decisions."

Kaoru grumbled and sunk into the blankets molding around his wife as he laid his hand on her stomach. "I need to make her go away, but I don't know how. Telling her doesn't work."

"Just ignore her, Kaoru. Nothing is ever what you think it is. She's just a friend."

"She isn't just a friend. My brother spent a night with her... in his _bed_. While he was drunk. Oh my god... she probably got him drunk on purpose. She seduced him while he was intoxicated."

She didn't reply.

* * *

It had been a long time since he was alone. Completely alone with no maids, or company, or Kagami. It was just him.

And the silence was killing him.

Hikaru closed his eyes in an attempt to fight against a migraine that pulsated his brain as he placed down his glass. His empty glass. He didn't think twice before filling it up again. He took a deep breath and leaned back into the cushions of the couch.

This seemed to be his life now. Sitting there in the living room, doing nothing. Just thinking about everything, and how empty his life was and... drinking. This obsession with the sinful liquid was sudden, but he was already addicted, so... so addicted.

He held his glass up to the light as watched the dark red dance around the rim of his glass. He was drunk again and had lost count of how many glasses he had consumed. He took a deep breath and rubbed his thumb over the glass.

His vision was blurry and he felt sick. He looked at his obfuscated reflection, and his drunken mind and closed eyes turned his features around and disordered the whole thing, and suddenly. He looked up and the whole room was a haze.

He put a hand to his face as his stomach almost turned and laid back. Taking a deeper breath, trying to calm his insides.

There wasn't any doubt in him that to a second person, he looked pathetic. He felt pathetic, but he there was a reason why he was drinking, and because of that, he refused to stop.

He drank because he didn't want to think about her, but she was the only thing he thought about because she was the reason why he was drinking and couldn't stop. She was the reason why he was drunk, so he couldn't get her out of his head so matter how much he drank.

He'd stop, but know he was addicted and even if he didn't think abut her anymore, he couldn't have enough.

He was a glutton to alcohol.

How could someone he cared so much for, be the reason why he hated his very existence?

How could the only person who could make him so happy, be the only person he wanted out of his life completely?

* * *

 _A voice squealed behind the large door as there were a few thumping noises. It was the only thing that could be heard in the otherwise quiet house._

 _"Hika..." She giggled. "Not here."_

 _"Hmm?"_

 _"What if someone comes in? It's in the middle of the day."_

 _"It's Sunday I doubt anyone would come over." Hikaru hummed, rubbing the top of his nose against the crook of her neck. "Stop tensing. You have no idea how hard it is to kiss you when you lean that way."_

 _Haruhi grumbled. She cupped his cheek but pushing him away was hard. "I don't wanna. Come on... let's go to lunch."_

 _"Not hungry." He managed as he trailed an invisible path of dry kissing along her jawline. "I'd rather eat you instead."_

 _She tried to protest, but any words that were going come out her mouth were cut off as he backed her up against the front door. "Well, the feeling isn't mutual, so-"_

 _He snickered, biting her lip. Her arms flew around his neck as he picked up her legs out from under her and wrapped them around his waist. She gasped and hid her face in his hair. "That's okay, I don't need your consent."_

 _"I'd.. appreciate it if you'd have it."_

 _"Do I?"_

 _"No?"_

 _"Well, that's not going to limit me, whether I do or not." He grinned, pecking her cheek lightly. He kissed her skin with the light touches of a feather before his mouth reached hers. He ducked his head and leaned into her, forcing her to steady herself against the front door._

 _She breathed, tangling her fingers in his hair, biting the inside of her cheek. Eventually, she granted him access and his tongue slipped passed her lips. She purred and pulled his face closer. While one of his hands held her leg around his hip, his other hand sneaked it's way under the hem of her shirt, and touched her bare side, making her shiver against his fingertips._

 _He smirked against between their lips as he swept around the perimeter of her mouth. He growled under his breath and pulled her up higher against the door so they were at the same eye level. She snickered pulled away, looking at his cheeky grin._

 _She cupped both of his cheeks and pulled his face back to her. "Hikaru Hitachiin, are you trying to seduce me?"_

 _He smiled, rubbing his nose against hers. "Is it working?"_

 _"Maybe."_

 _"Well let's not ruin the mood then, babe-"_

 _He was cut off by a knock on the door. Haruhi turned her head as the knocking was just against her back, then turned back to look at him. Giving him her 'I told you so' look, wiggling her eyebrow._

 _He frowned, looking at the door. "We're busy!"_

 _There was a familiar laugh. "I doubt it!"_

 _Haruhi snorted. "Just a second, Kaoru."_

 _Hikaru grumbled. "We're still busy."_

 _"No, we're not."_

 _"I understand, it's hard to open the door when you're making out in front of it, huh, Hikaru?"_

 _He let Haruhi slip off him to stand up straight on her feet and opened the door after she stumbled behind him. He greeted his little brother with a scowl under his mussed bangs. "And for once, Haruhi wasn't the one who ruined the mood."_

 _Kaoru laughed. "For shame. Have some respect and get a room."_

 _"We did. The hall."_

 _"A closed room."_

 _"The door was closed."_

 _"Not the front door."_

 _"Well, it's our house_ so I think we get to choose what door we make out in front of."

Haruhi sighed.

* * *

Hikaru's eyes were still on his glass, watching his wine move as he tipped it. He had sunk into the couch, and his drunken mind wasn't focusing on anything but the wine. he had stared at it for so long, that his features were beginning to fade and disorganize themselves into something different.

He felt sick. Really, really sick.

Then suddenly Haruhi's face was looking back at him instead of his own reflection.

He gave a clamorous shout in surprise and dropped his glass. The cup shattered against the floor and the wine splashed at his feet. He stared wide-eyed at the broken goblet and gasped as another face was there, staring at him.

It wasn't Haruhi's reflection looking at him.

He looked up. Managing to say in a breathy heave. "Kagami..."

"Hikaru..." She blinked, looking down at the shards no the floor. "...I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry."

"What are you doing here?"

"...I wanted to check on you."

"Why?"

"To make sure you were okay. I know you weren't very happy this morning. I came to make sure you weren't doing anything stupid." She said softly, tilting her head. "Are you okay?"

He stared at her for a few moments breathing before leaning back into the couch. "How did you get in here?"

"...The spare key. You weren't answering my phone calls and when I knocked you didn't open the door, so I was worried."

He swallowed, pressing the ball of his hand against his forehead. "You can't be here, Kagami. You have to leave."

She blinked, not understanding. She moved carefully so not to step on the glass and sat down on her heels. Looking at him frowning. "What for? You must be lonely with no one here. The maids won't be here until morning."

He's nose curled. He didn't feel good enough to argue. "I can't have you here. You have to leave. It-"

"It's passed midnight."

"So you have to go."

"Why?"

He tightened his lips. "Last time was an accident. I-... We can't do it again. I don't want to hurt-"

"Hikaru, it's okay." Her voice was light, as she laid her hand on his knee. "Last time was an accident, I know. You didn't do anything, and I was in the wrong for not trying to stop you. It won't happen again."

His eyes twitched. He tightened his legs in caution as she leaned closer. "I can't..."

"I know. You have Haruhi. But since she isn't here right now, I just don't want you to feel lonely. There's nothing between us yet, so you don't have to worry. I just came to keep you company."

"At midnight?"

"I knew you wouldn't be asleep."

Hikaru felt his heart pounding. His blood felt hot under his skin and he leaned further into the cushions. The sick feeling washed over him again and he clenched his teeth. Trying to control himself.

Sitting on her knees near his legs, she looked at him concerned and stood up slightly just enough to hunch over him. She pressed one hand to the edge of the couch while her other hand moved up to his face.

She titled her head. "Are you getting sick? You look pale."

He gasped and jerked backward as her hand touched his forehead. He shivered against her warm palm and eased into the couch. "Kagami..."

"You're hot." She muttered dolefully, rubbing her thumb over his flaming skin. "Are you okay? You shouldn't be drinking if you aren't feeling okay."

He shook his head. "Kagami... you can't be here."

"You're sweating, Hika."

He stayed still as her hand ran from his forehead down to his cheek. Grunting as her fingertips tickled the hair behind his ear, turned his face away. "You can't stay here. You have to leave."

"Not now, knowing that you're sick. Hika, you have a fever." She shook head, gripping his forearm comfortingly with her other hand. "Do you want me to help you upstairs? I'll get you some medication from the cabinet."

"No," he barely managed to mumble. His eyes hurt from looking at the wall, that seemed to swirl into a circle. "You need to go home. It's-"

"But I was really worried about you. I can't leave you alone now. The maids won't be here until morning, and-"

"Kagami, I can't have you here right now." He tried to argue, but the sick feeling in his stomach returned as shifted. He clamped his teeth together and pressed his the ball of his hand to his forehead. He felt sicker now than he had ever felt when drinking, and he didn't understand why.

"But Hika-"

He stood up, gripping the arm of the sofa. He took a deep breath and flinched as the glass under him crushed beneath his shoe. He let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding but as he went to step away, the floor felt as though it was swirling and moving away from him. The blood under his skin felt hot and he stumbled.

Panicking, Kagami gripped his shoulders but being smaller than him he fell against her and almost sent her to the floor as well. She gasped, clutching his biceps tightly.

"Hikaru, something's wrong. You need to sit back down."

He didn't say anything. His fingers dug painfully into her arms as she steadied him. He laid his face into her neck and breathed heavily into her hair. "...I... I don't-"

"You're drunk again aren't you?"

"...I don't know..."

She sighed, holding his arms tighter. "...I'll get you some water."

"No..." He pressed his face deeper into her neck, squeezing her in his arms. He didn't know that he was already steady and didn't need help standing. He didn't know that he was just standing there, holding her because he wanted to. "...Don't go anywhere."

She lost all tension in her shoulders and gave up, stroking his hair lightly with her fingers. "Okay."

"...Thank you."

She nodded but didn't reply.

* * *

The next day, it was quiet, and Mokoto was at her mother's and Kaoru hadn't heard or spoke to his brother since they got back from Kyoto two days ago (not that that was unusual).

After they had found Mokoto, Kaoru felt lighter, as a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Though for his brother, he couldn't imagine how he felt now. Maybe he was jealous of him because they hadn't found Haruhi yet, Or maybe now, knowing that something happened to Haruhi rather than her just leaving made him realize some things.

Maybe he'd forgiven Haruhi for doing nothing.

Or maybe he hadn't. He was just going to his place to make sure he was okay. His normal check up on his brother.

But it was mostly from Mokoto telling him he should see him to make sure he was okay.

He loved his big brother, but getting cursed at and be told to leave didn't exactly feel like love on his part.

Taking a deep breath as he fiddled with his ball of keys, Kaoru laid his head against the door of his twin's house and tapped his foot against the cement porch. He grumbled, not being able to find the spare key.

He rolled his eyes, having a feeling his brother wasn't going to answer, but he knocked anyway.

He waited, but there was no answer.

Murmuring a swear under his breath and knocked again, a little louder. Maybe if he annoyed him he'd answer.

He waited a little more, but there was still no answer.

He clenched his hand tighter and was about to knock again, but froze as he watched the doorknob to one of the double doors jiggle.

The door opened with a quick sweep. He flinched and stepped back, expecting to be swatted at by newspaper. Unfortunately though, being hit in the head with rolled up paper would have been better than being faced with who greeted him.

His expression hardened and he didn't even try to mask it. "...Great, you're here."

Kagami frowned. "I can say the same thing about you."

"What do you want?"

"You're the one who came here."

"Funny, I can't remember this being your house."

"It's not your house either. But you're still here."

He glared, pressing his hand against the door. "Where's Hikaru?"

"He got really sick last night and he's in bed. He doesn't want company."

His face finally softened, just a little, but he didn't let her see it. "...He's sick? Then what are you doing here?"

"He's sick and shouldn't be alone. He can't even stand up on his own." She explained, ever so slowly closing the door again. "The maids are here, but they're busy cleaning. I'm just watching him."

He looked at her up and down. Her hair was up in a messy bun and her shirt was wrinkled. Her makeup was mussed as though she was wearing the same coat from a previous day.

He was about to assume something and accuse her of sleeping over, but he didn't bother. He stepped up grabbed the doorknob. "Step aside."

"Hikaru really doesn't want company. He told me that whoever was at the door to tell them to go away."

"I'm not company, I'm his brother." He muttered in a growl-like tone and before she stepped aside, he opened the door and stepped passed her. He heard her curse his name and smirked. "Where is he?"

"Laying down." She grumbled. "He'll be mad at you if you bother him."

"What's wrong him?"

"I dunno."

"Bedroom?"

"Couch."

He flapped his wrist towards her and walked his way to the living room. he let out a long breath and passed a few maids who didn't say anything and just pointed towards the living room, giving him a warning look. He nodded back until his brother's elder maid grabbed his arm and pulled him off to the side.

He stumbled a little and looked at her with a raised brow. "...What?"

She looked at him, tipping her eyebrow to the archway that lead to the main room. "You have to make her leave. She's been here since last night. She won't leave him alone. I don't know how many times he's told her to go home."

Kaoru puckered his lips, slowly pulling his arm back once she let go. "She's so stubborn."

"She's getting too comfortable here. This is the fourth time she's stayed over."

"I knew she spent the night."

"I don't like her, but mister Hitachiin said he doesn't care whether she stays or not." She looked over her shoulder, making sure she wasn't heard. "Like I told him earlier, she's trying to make Miss Hitachiin's place. If Mister Hitachiin starts having feelings for Miss Shimizu what's going to happen when Miss Hitachiin does come back?"

Kaoru bit his lip. "I know. I don't know what to do about it. He won't listen to me."

The maid frowned, and walked away, after directing him to the living room where his twin was apparently dying. Kaoru stuck his hands into the pockets of his jacket and stepped into the room, leaning against the frame of the wall.

His eyes were instantly met with a maid walking out of the room with a platter under her arm. She bowed to him as she passed, but he ignored her. He looked over at the couch where he saw his brother.

"Pathetic, Hika. Honestly..." He shook his head, getting his twins attention. "You get sick in just two days, but you haven't gone to work in months."

Hikaru, with tired eyes, rolled his head to look at his little brother who walked closer to him. "...What're you doing here?"

Kaoru shrugged, standing over him. "I came to check on my poor twin who's on his deathbed."

Hikaru turned away, throwing his arm over his face. "Go away."

Kaoru gasped, covering his cheeks with his hands. "Strange turn in behavior."

"Leave me alone. I don't feel like doing anything."

"Hearing is Incoherent."

"What?"

"And he's delusional. This is serious Hika. I can't leave when you're so ill."

"Kagami beat you to it," Hikaru grumbled, squeezing his eyes shut. "so If you'd please... I have a headache. I don't want company."

"But Kagami is here."

"She won't leave."

"Well, luck is on your side dear brother. I'm your twin not your friend. I'm here to annoy you not to keep you company."

He grumbled again, grabbing the closest throw pillow to press to his face. "I don't care... I'm not in the mood to argue. Do whatever you want."

Kneeling down, Kaoru stuck out his bottom lip and stroked his brother's hair as he pulled the pillow away. "You're so ornery."

Hikaru breathed, tightening his lips. "Then leave me alone."

"That's what puzzles me." Kaoru played with his bangs. He didn't know if it was annoying or comforting, but he didn't stop. "Why do you want to be alone?"

"Because you're loud."

"What? And Kagami isn't loud?"

"Would you leave her alone?"

"Not until she leaves you alone."

Hikaru just grumbled again and turned over on his side, his back facing the couch. "Whatever. I don't care."

"'Whatever', 'I don't care'." Kaoru mocked back. "How many times have you told me those words in the last few month? I've lost count."

Hikaru didn't reply and pulled the pillow back to his face, hiding his face from the light that irritated his eyes. Kaoru sighed and stood up, but not before seeing Kagami from the corner of his eye. His brother didn't notice and just groaned into his pillow.

Kaoru watched as she poured a wine glass full of ice-water and sat it aside on the coffee table. he swore under his breath, but neither of them heard.

"If you feel nauseous you should go upstairs and lay down, Hika." She said in a light tone, leaning over the arm of the chair, to touch his hair comfortingly. "Do you want some more medication?"

"Hmm."

Kaoru glared. "What sort of medication?"

She gave him a sarcastic scowl. "An extra dose of cough syrup."

He glared harder, shooing her hands away from his twin's head.

"Calm down, I've just been giving him ibuprofen for his headache."

"That you gave him."

"Oh please, he drinks on his own. Don't make it seem like it's my fault."

"You're always here, I don't know what you want me to think."

Hikaru clenched the fabric of the pillow in pain and turned over again to lay on his front. His stomach ached and his brain throbbed on both sides of his head. His muscles hurt and he could barely lift his arms. He had slept on the couch last night, but he wasn't really sure where Kagami slept, but he didn't really care.

He clenched the pillow tighter as they continued to argue.

"Look, you're irritating him. Didn't he tell you to go home?" Kaoru mumbled, wiggling his fingers towards her. "So go home. I think you've done enough anyway. Great job, we'll see you tomorrow."

She pinched her lips together, tilting her head up. "I don't remember hearing that from his mouth. Since you got here he's been looking worse."

"Don't you have a family to check on, too? Geez, my brother isn't your main priority."

"Where's your wife, Kaoru? Shouldn't you go see her? He was fine before you came over."

"My family isn't any of your business."

"Well mine isn't your business either, so just knock it-"

"Would you two just shut up!? Just... shut up."

Both Kaoru and Kagami froze, as they turned to look at Hikaru. He was breathing from his mouth and his cheek was flushed red. They looked at him and were instantly silenced. Kaoru looked down at the floor and mumbled that it was all her fault.

Kagami looked at him and watched as he pressed his hand to his face. She got up in alarm and went to grab his shoulder. "Lay back down, Hikaru."

"Why don't you both just leave?" He almost shouted, gripping his bangs, as he stood up. But as he stood his legs gave out from under his and he collapsed. Kaoru caught his arms and held him up before he hit the floor.

"Hika..." He called out to him gently, gripping his arms securely. "...Hikaru?"

He didn't answer.

"Hikaru!"

He tried again, but Hikaru remained unresponsive.


	18. Chapter 18

**Brain Dead**

* * *

"This is _your_ fault."

"My fault? He was fine before _you_ came over."

"He was fine two days ago when he was with _me_. I come over and he was practically dying on the couch!"

"You were the one who riled him up!"

"Riled him up, yeah. What were you doing? He's sicker than just a flu, yet you didn't do anything about it. You said you were watching him."

Kagami huffed, throwing her arms up. "Look, I didn't do anything. I didn't know he was poisoned. His drinking was his fault. multiple times I told him to calm down. You know what he tells me? That it's none of my business. I haven't done anything wrong. Blame him."

Kaoru opened his mouth, and wanted to laugh at her from imbecile. He threw his arm out towards his brother. "Blame him? Hikaru's _unconscious_. I'm not blaming him for being sick, I'm blaming you for not paying attention!"

"Paying attention? I've paid attention to him. He was fine, and he old me not to worry about him."

"Thee attention you give him isn't what he needs." Kaoru argued, his voice like a growl under his breath. "You're not his wife, stop acting like it."

"I'm not acting like his wife. I was just concerned about him last night." She pointed out, looking over at Hikaru who was laying in a hospital bed beside them as they argued. "For your information, he appreciated me staying over. He didn't want me to leave."

"The maids said you went over there at midnight, you couldn't have known he was sick then, unless you're some sort of witch. Which I wouldn't doubt it. What were you going over there for at midnight then? Whether he appreciated it or not, what you did was uncalled for."

She shook her head, crossing her legs tightly. "I'm not going to listen to this anymore. You keep repeating yourself. It's ridiculous."

"Only because you're repeating everything you do! I tell you to leave him alone but you just keep throwing yourself at his feet. I watch you."

"You have a pregnant wife, why don't you go worry about her. Your brother's a grown man. You're acting like he's a baby that you need to take care of."

Kaoru finally let out a breath. His expression hardened and he clenched his jaw. "My brother's a grown with alcohol poisoning. Your argument is that you care about him as a friend and that you have no romantic feelings for him, yet its like you don't give a damn that his addiction could kill him if he keeps this up."

"It's not going to kill him. He'll be fine. Chances are he won't drink again after what this did to him. He hates puking."

Kaoru took a deep breath. He didn't want to argue with her anymore. His head felt as though it would explode from his migraine. The last thing he wanted was to sit in a room alone with her, but after the ambulance got to the house, Kagami went with him and he didn't have the chance to tell her 'no'.

He collapsed into his chair that was beside the hospital bed and looked at his brother, watching him sleep. He reached over and stroked his bangs. Watching his chest rise and fall as he breathed through his mouth.

He didn't know what was wrong with him until just recently Hikaru had woken up briefly an hour ago, but had fallen back asleep with the medication they had given him.

His addiction to drinking had finally taken a toll on him, and had given him alcohol poisoning. His excessive drinking in such a small amount of time (three weeks) was bad for his health, and he knew that, but with his twin's imprudent attitude made it impossible to tell him to tell him what to do.

Kagami looked over and raised her brow. She crossed her arms and watched as Kaoru poked Hikaru's cheek lightly. "Why are you acting like this? I don't understand."

Kaoru tilted his head and looked at her as though she was speaking in a foreign language. " _What_?"

"I've been watching you two, he's so mean to you sometimes yet you're still here, treating him like he's a baby. Do you act like this if he were to just stub his toe?"

He frowned. "...He's my _brother_."

"He kicks you out of the house, tells you to leave him alone, that you annoy him, and he probably wont even appreciate that we took him here... Yet your catering to his every need even when he's asleep."

"That doesn't bother me." He admitted, slowly moving his gaze away from her and slumped against his chair again, pulling himself away from his sleeping twin. "It isn't his fault he acts like this. Sure, no one likes it, but if Haruhi was here he would have never started acting like this in the first place."

"So it's Haruhi's fault."

"It isn't Haruhi's fault." He grumbled, purposely avoiding eye-contact. "We don't know that. Which is why we don't blame either one of them. We don't even-..." He stopped himself, and looked back at Hikaru. "I don't even know why I'm talking to you."

She puckered her lips out and never took her eyes away from him. She mumbled something under her breath and he looked up and glared, almost demanding what she said after he caught her saying Haruhi's name, but he stopped himself when the door to the room opened with an over enthusiastic push.

His eyes widened as he saw his wife standing there with a scowl. He nearly shot out of his chair and walked over to her with a concerned frown.

"Moko-"

"What happened?" She asked immediately, holding her hand up, stopping him from moving any closer to her. "What happened? I told you to go to his house to check on him. I'm at work and I get a call from your mother that he's in the hospital. What did you do?"

Kaoru opened his mouth, and looked between his brother and his wife a few times, utterly confused. "I didn't do anything..."

"Hmm, mm." She grumbled, glaring at her brother-in-law feeling his arms slowly snake around her cautiously. "What's the matter with him? Why does he look so pale?"

His lips twisted, as his hands rested on her small bump. "...Alcohol poisoning, but-"

"What?! Why would you let that happen? Oh my god..." Her lips parted slightly moving his arms off her so she could step away. "Look at him. What-... He was fine at dinner two days ago."

"I know," Kaoru glanced at Kagami, his nose crushed in an annoyed scowl. "Apparently it was new. Started last night."

"What did you do? Did you aggravate him? What is that on his head?"

"Cold washcloth."

"...Oh."

She turned to Kagami and raised her brow. "What were you two doing in here by yourselves?"

Kaoru threw his arm out towards Kagami and huffed. "She was at his house. Probably over dosing him on ibuprofen."

Kagami sighed. "Whatever. You're the one who started yelling, and made him mad. He passed out because of you."

Mokoto turned to her husband, looking almost offended by his actions.

He looked back at her and gasped. "No I didn't. If I hadn't have been there he would have passed out all on his own with only _you_ there."

"At least he wanted me there. He told you to leave him alone."

Mokoto shook her head. "Kaoru, just let it-"

He opened his mouth wider. "That crap! Hikaru was sick and the only thing she was doing was giving him more pills. She wouldn't even-"

She held her finger up, silencing him. "Kaoru... Who's pregnant?"

"...You are?"

"And who's fault is that?"

He furrowed his brow. "...Mine?"

"And who's the girl in the relationship?"

"...You are."

"So do _not_ raise your voice at me."

"...Sorry."

"Oh my god, you guys are so freaking loud..."

All three of them turned instantly at the sound of Hikaru's voice, complaining about the noise again. Mokoto slumped into Kaoru's chair and leaned over the bed, touching his hand. Kaoru stood at the foot of the bed, shooing Kagami away with his wrist.

Hikaru grunted, clenching his fist rubbing his fingers together tightly. He winced his eyes shut at the light from the large chandelier on the ceiling and turned his head towards the feather-like touches his sister-in-law gave to his cheek.

He took a deep breath, feeling his head throb with a painful migraine, worse than the last time he was awake. A hand moved and took his fingers. He tightened his hold on her hand and clamped his jaw shut.

"...Ow."

Mokoto pouted, petting his hair. "Shhh, I know. They need to shut up, huh?"

Both Kaoru and Kagami grumbled and looked away.

Hikaru opened his eyes again and stared at the blurry ceiling. His stomach was sore and felt as though he was spinning counter-clockwise. His skin was pale, but felt on fire. He tightened his lips and turned his head to the other side, looking at Kagami.

"Where are we...? What're we doing here?"

Kaoru answered before she cold say anything. "The clinic Hika. You passed out earlier. You've were out for two hours."

His eyes eye's fluttered, and he pressed his palm to his forehead. "...What for?"

"Alcohol Intoxication is what the doctor said, but basically you poisoned yourself with all the wine you've been drinking, and made yourself sick. I _told_ you it would, but do you listen to me? No. You never listen to me."

Mokoto gave her husband a warning look. "Stop it. You're the one who said it wasn't his fault."

"It isn't but I still think that it wouldn't kill him to admit that I was right."

Hikaru covered his face with his elbow. "...Ow."

Kaoru sighed, leaning over to move his arm away from his face. He laid his arm beside him. "Careful. You have an IV in."

Hikaru looked down. "...Why?"

"Fluid medication into your blood stream."

"...What for?"

Kaoru slapped his hand over his own face. "Weren't you listening? Poisoning? Alcohol? You might be able to go home later, but it was pretty bad earlier. The doctors said you need close monitoring, and medicine that I can't pronounce."

Hikaru winced, forcing his head deeper into his pillow. "...I don't want to be here."

Kaoru sighed, giving up. He fell into the chair next to Mokoto and grabbed her other hand. He squeezed it and tried not to stare at Kagami, who was rubbing his forearm.

"I know, Hika... I'll say something to the doctor to see if he'll let you out earlier, maybe give you a double dose of that medicine so you can go home."

Kaoru snorted out of mockery, and everyone turned to him. "You're not telling the doctor anything. He's staying here as long as he's supposed to and no double dose of anything."

Mokoto nudged him, leaning over to him to whisper. "You're being rude, stop it."

His lips twitched as he whispered back. "She started it. Look what she's trying to do."

"She can hear you."

"I don't care."

Mokoto scooted away from him, rolling her eyes. "You're so difficult."

Kaoru crossed his arms and continued to watch his brother and Kagami in silence. Not understanding why he was the only one who saw something wrong with her.

Maybe it was just his imagination. Maybe she was a good person.

Or maybe she was the descendant of, Satan.

Yeah... That's what she was.

* * *

"Damn it."

"Is something wrong, Kyouya?"

"That damn boss from that Kasagi café wont give me any information at all. I've contacted him so many times now that he won't even respond. He knows what I'm trying to do now."

Renge looked at her husband. She licked her bottom lip in hesitation. "...You look tired."

"This, on top of my companies work, hasn't exactly been good to me."

"You should take some time off, you look like you need a nap."

Kyouya huffed out his nose, tapping his fingers against his desk as he used his other finger to scroll down his laptop screen. "No, I've just been up since five this morning. I just need these god damned people to cooperate with me."

She stepped further into the room. She placed down a glass of water and slid over a napkin with a pill on it. "...They're guilty of something?"

"Not that I know of. I _would_ , if they'd tell me." He grumbled. "But I guess that's not the way professionals work. We don't agree with each other, nor are we honest."

She blinked, feeling stupid for asking. "What did they do wrong?"

"Nothing really. I'm trying to get information out of them about, Haruhi."

"They know her?"

"I'm not sure. But the people in the same building as the owner knows her. They said she was there a couple of times but they didn't say anything else." Kyouya took his glasses off and rubbed between his eyes. "It's almost as if they're being paid to keep quiet. It's annoying as hell."

Renge tucked a piece of lingering hair behind her ear and leaned over the desk. Biting the inside of her cheek. "Have you thought about it that way?"

"About what?"

"That people are being paid to not tell you anything about her?"

"...That wouldn't make sense though. Haruhi has no enemies I know of that would hate her so much as to actually pay someone to keep their mouths shut."

"That true, I guess. Everyone likes Haruhi, she's never had any body hate her verbally or physically before, even in high school when I met her. She had a lot of fans, even people who didn't even visit the Host club. Not to mention all of those boy who had a crush on her even if she cross-dressed as a guy. They didn't care about that. They always said how cute she was."

Renge took a deep breath after finishing. Talking for a long period of time was obviously a natural habit. "No body hates her. She has no enemies. And she's never said anything about anyone hating her at work. You personally went over to her office and practically interrogated all her coworkers awhile back."

He slumped over and picked up the glass of water, leaning back into his chair, swaying it slightly from side to side. "You and your Shojo-manga induced fantasies..."

She hummed, slouching over on the desk, resting her elbows as she slumped her face in her hands. "...Hmm... Well hypothetically speaking if we're still on that idea of her being kidnapped-"

"It had to be abduction. There's no other explanation."

"Uh huh, well Hikaru still thinks differently, anyway-"

"Hikaru's a moron and has completely fallen apart. The moron was in the hospital today for alcohol intoxication."

She sighed. "...Well if Haruhi was kidnapped, maybe it wasn't because somebody hated her, maybe... it was because they like her."

He swayed his chair until he was facing her directly. "Let's be realistic here. This is like, not a anime drama series.

"No, no, listen..." She pouted. "I'm serious. Someone got so attracted to Haruhi, and got jealous of Hikaru for being with her, so they kidnapped her to have her for themselves. I mean it's life but that makes for the perfect slab of drama."

"...Too cliché. Do you know how many Tv shows and cartoon series there are of love triangles and unrequited love?"

She smirked. "I do. But listen, Kyo! You've thought of every aspect. Haruhi didn't kidnapped because she was hated and someone wanted her out of the picture, god knows what picture, but she was kidnapped because someone wanted her in their picture, and away from Hikaru because they love her! I'm a genius. And this idea is making me hungry."

"Again, it's ridiculous. Haruhi was dating Hikaru for five years before they got married, and they were married for two years after that. It's a long time for someone to be jealous of Hikaru and not to have done something sooner to have her."

She leaned in further across her husband's desk. "Just consider it. Love triangles exist in the real world, too, Kyouya. I mean what have you got to loose? Investigate this idea a little."

He sighed. "Okay fine. I consider it... Now what? What makes this different than anything else? We still have nowhere to go, and if someone did kidnap her because of his undying one-sided love, then what? Haruhi was seen at that café at some point in time. That kidnapping for love doesn't match up with the other evidence."

She shrugged. "I really don't know. But Kyouya, you're a legitimate business owner. Not a detective. I don't know how many people have told you this. Don't push yourself too hard on all this. It's been almost two years."

"If I don't, who will? I do more work than the damn detectives I pay anyway."

Renge threw her hands up, declaring surrender. "Alright. If you need me. I'll be in the game room. It's so boring here anyway."

Suddenly, just as she turned on her heel, Kyouya's laptop buzzed and 'binged' with a popup. He groaned and went to delete it, making a mental note to fire his software repairer for the horrible job he did with removing the viruses, but his finger stopped when he saw no 'x' button.

He furrowed his brow and smoothly slid his glasses back on, and looked at it, being extremely confused. It wasn't a random popup. It was a blocked message. He leaned over the edge of his desk and opened the file.

The message appeared but there wasn't anything typed down. He scrolled down with what there was of the tiny move panel until he found it.

But it wasn't a message to him, or seemed to be directed towards anyone. He read it, but all it was an address to somewhere in Yosano Kyoto.

He nearly spat out his water. "...Holy shit."

Renge turned around, halfway to the door. "What?"

"This message was sent from one of the computers in the Kasagi building." He explained, reading the address that was typed there on the screen. It looked rushed with a few typo errors, and how it wasn't spaced correctly. His eyes darted across the screen one more time and he noticed a tiny message below.

It read... _'I know who you're looking for_.' But that was it.

"I..." He bit his lip, rubbing his face with his hand as he continued to scroll through it all. "...I think I have a lead. Damn it. They didn't leave a phone number."

"...A lead to what?"

"To Haruhi."

"This and the other one hundred times?"

Kyouya didn't reply.

* * *

"Where is she?"

"...Down stairs, I dunno."

"I'd stay here to make sure she doesn't bother you, but Mokoto isn't feeling well and I have to take her home. My priorities get mixed up all the time."

Kaoru looked down at his brother after he didn't reply. "Don't take anymore medicine, pain pills won't counteract well with the Thiamine the doctor gave you."

Hikaru turned over in bed, smashing his cheek against his pillow. "I know. I'm not five."

Kaoru sighed, sitting on the edge of his brother's bed, beside him. "...I worry about you sometimes, Hika..."

"Well don't. Go home."

"Why don't you want people to take care of you?"

"I don't need to be taken care of."

"I'd hate to mention this..." he muttered quietly, looking away towards the floor. "But... you know Haruhi wouldn't like you living like this. Everyone's mentioned it at least once, but she really wouldn't... She'd want you to take better care of yourself if you don't want anyone else to."

Hikaaru gripped his pillow, clenching his jaw. "...I know."

"In truths, she'd nag the hell out of you."

"...I know, what glory to not have a wife to do that to you constantly, huh?"

"Hika... I didn't mean-"

"Leave me alone."

Kaoru exhaled quietly, leaning further into the bed to get closer to his twin. "It's Sunday tomorrow. The maids wont be here and you're still not feeling well, why don't you come over to our apartment? You're all alone here and Mokoto will worry about you and-"

Hikaru's voice was barely heard. "I want to be alone."

"Do you really? Or are you just saying that to be the tough guy?"

"Does it matter?"

"Kind of. You could come live with us until Har-... Until we figure something else out. It'll be fine. We used to live together in it before the girls moved in with us anyway, it'd be-"

"Like old times?"

"Yeah!"

"...Ignorant thought though, isn't it? Nothing going to be what it used to..." He grumbled into his pillow, mussing his bangs as he hid his face into it. "Unless someone can magically erase the past, deleting certain people from existence entirely."

"If I could, then would you come live with me?"

"If you could do that, you wouldn't be asking me to."

Without asking if it was okay, Kaoru crawled up to sit fully on the bed. He sat next to his brother and jabbed his with his foot. "If this is about Haruhi, you really need to figure out whether you like her still or not. I think you're at war with yourself."

"I hate her. There's not war."

"If you hate her, then why are you so depressed all the time? If you hated her, wouldn't you be hanging out at the strip-club or something, surrounding yourself with other woman to forget about her?"

"What's the point in being around other woman? Defeats the reason of hating all woman doesn't it?"

Kaoru wanted to laugh. "You don't hate all woman, if you did, you wouldn't let Kagami be around you so much, even if she's hardly a woman. No class at all."

Hikaru hesitated. "...You don't understand."

Kaoru flopped down beside him, facing him, even if he was still forcing his pillow. "Explain then."

Hikaru ignored him and pulled his pillow to his chest. "Get out of my bed."

"Whenever you don't want to talk about something you tell me to go away. Why don't you just say it? Cause you know I'm going to keep asking and you can't run away from everything forever."

"If you know that I don't want to talk about it, then why bring it up?"

"...Because I want you to know that you don't have to feel like you're alone. Haruhi isn't here, but everyone else is, and we're trying to make things easier for you, because we know It must be hard."

"You don't know."

Kaoru scooted closer to him. He knew Mokoto was downstairs with the maids, but he didn't want to leave his brother yet. "...Mokoto was missing for almost a week, Haruhi's been gone for..."

"Eighteen months."

"I don't know what it feels like, yeah, but I know it can't be the greatest feeling in the world." Kaoru continued, moving closer to his, being only a few inches from his brother. "I just want to help you, Hikaru."

Hikaru opened his eyes, but his gaze was met with just his brother's dark gold eyes. He looked concerned but he gave him no emotion. "I don't want help."

Kaoru didn't say anything as he moved his arm around him, pulling him close without asking. He twitched slightly, ready to be pushed away, but Hikaru didn't protest. He pulled him into a closer embrace.

He pressed his nose into his hair, snuggling closer to him. It had been a long time since they had just hugged. That last time wasn't a real one. "If you want to be sad, be sad, but... just make sure you don't hurt yourself anymore. You scared me earlier."

He pressed his face into his chest, barely saying a word. "I'm not sad."

"It's about Haruhi being gone, I know, but-"

"It isn't about her missing."

"Then what?"

"...Being lied to, by the person you thought told you everything... Everything was a lie, that's why. Haruhi... doesn't bother me."

Before Kaoru could reply, Hikaru's phone on the nightstand buzzed against the wood. Hikaru then took it as a sign and finally pushed him away and sat up. He looked over to see Kyouya calling. He took a deep breath, getting ready to be scolded by him once again for drinking too heavily.

After breathing, he took no time in answering. "...What?"

"You're not going to like this," Kyouya admitted on the other side. "But don't hang up because I swear to god, I will keep calling."

Hikaru sighed, causing a ripple of static. "Usually you don't bother calling if you have bad news."

"It's not, it's good news."

"God dammit, Kyouya."

Kyouya paused. "I think I have her location this time. If not Haruhi, than someone who knows where Haruhi is. But I can't do anything because I need your-"

"I don't want to listen to this, go find someone who cares."

"You're going to care whether you like it or not, because I'm not paying another ounce of money on anymore detectives, and I sure the hell aren't calling the police. They'll make too big of a deal about it, and I'll be hearing it for months from them that I sent them to an unknown location for nothing."

Hikaru rubbed his face, clutching the phone tightly. "You don't know for sure so it probably is nothing."

"I need you to have one of your guys to go to this house. I don't pay them so they aren't going to do what I say."

"I'm not sending anybody anywhere, I fired most of them anyway, it's the stubborn ones who think they'll find her who have stayed, and still demand I pay them. And I'm not sending even them on any wild goose chase. There's been too many."

"I need someone to check this place out. It's from someone who's seen her recently."

"Good for them."

"Dammit, Hikaru, just do it."

"You remember the last time you said you found her? I believed you, I did everything you said, you got everyone's hopes up, and you know what happened? We all ended up going to her funeral. And before that, you said you found her, and It ended up being someone else who just wanted the reward money, and even then-"

"Do you think I liked that? Admitting that I was wrong? I don't even like it now, but for all the work I've been doing for you, the least you could do it believe me. I've already sent an email to your computer, look at it."

"I'm not going to."

" _Do_ it."

Hikaru ignored him and shut the phone, tossing it behind him on the bed. Still with a stomachache from earlier, he stood up slowly and fixed his shirt, and tousled his bangs. "I told him to stop. Now he thinks it's my fault that he has too much work."

Kaoru sat up, frowning. "Hika, Kyouya said-"

"Screw, Kyouya. I don't know what to tell him, eventually he'll go by himself, and realize he was wrong."

"But-"

"Just go home, Mokoto's still down stairs waiting. Kagami will be here to cook dinner. I'm not in the mood for any arguments. Just leave."

Kaoru sighed, doing what he was told. "Fine... I love you, Hikaru."

"...Yeah."

* * *

"Haruhi?"

"...Yes?"

"Don't you like it here?"

"Yes."

"Then why do you always look down when I talk to you?"

"I'm cleaning."

Katsu walked behind her, fingering her arms ,lightly as he moved his hands around her waist. "I really wish you'd stop flinching when I touch you."

"I wasn't," she admitted in a tiny voice. "There's bleach. You'll spill it."

He hummed, moving his face closer, breathing hotly against her skin. "...I've been thinking."

"Have you?"

"I have." He inhaled her hinted scent of cleaning supplies. "It's been six months."

"I know."

"...Lets have a baby."

"I don't want one."

"Why?"

"I already had one. I don't want to do it again."

He sighed, snuggling closer into her back. He squeezed her tightly in his arms and laid his head down on her shoulder, pushing away out of his view, her long blond hair.

* * *

 **The filler chapters are done! Thank god that was hard. Now for the real stuff that's way more interesting! Thank you so much you guys for reading, I know it hasn't been that enjoyable, but it gets more intense in the next chapter. School has started for all of you, and it's just starting for me too, so hopefully I can still update. I promise, my updates will never be more than ten days apart for this story. Thanks for all the favorites/follows/reviews, you guys are the best. I'm so happy!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Longer Than Forever**

* * *

The whole building of 'Hitachiin corporation' was hushed and silent as Hikaru, after almost three months, finally came to work.

The minute he stepped through the door, the employees stopped what they were doing and just watched him. The hall echoed with his footsteps as they were so quiet. It seemed to be a rare sight, as they began to whisper to each other rudely. Most of them wondering why he had even bothered to come.

He wasn't sure why he had gone either, he just knew that staying home wasn't helping him. He had a headache after making a very bad mistake last night, and going to work was the only thing he could think of that would help him clear his head.

Noticing the stares he was getting, all Hikaru had to do was look at them once with that emotionless scowl of his to get them back to work. They jumped at his cold expression and scurried away.

He didn't say a thing to anyone as he walked to his office. Once he passed anyone they'd freeze. One had the guts to even greet him good morning, but Hikaru just nodded.

They knew all about Haruhi. Which was why they never questioned about why he never came to work. They did everything they could to not make him upset with them, but the tension was fortunately released once he slammed the door to his office shut.

The employee's who heard it, breathed out in relief.

Hikaru's secretary, who he hadn't seen in the same amount of time he had missed work, rolled her eyes and ignored all her co-workers who told her not to follow him.

"Sir," she muttered, clutching her clipboard to her chest with one hand, and a cup of coffee in the other. "You're late. Work starts at seven. It's nine-thirty."

The employee's who stood behind the door, eavesdropping, nearly fainted.

Hikaru didn't look up from his desk. "...Don't tell me how to do my job, Akemi."

"Well somebody has to." She retorted, frowning in disapproval. "You've missed multiple weeks of work. Your brother had to do all your accounts himself. You should thank him."

He glanced up at her as she placed his coffee beside him on the desk. He barely paid any mind to it as he slid his laptop closer. His migraine pounded in his ears, and his arms felt weak. He was still recovering from his sever alcohol usage, and shamefully went against everything the doctor said.

When Kaoru left his house the night before, Kagami came over as she said, and made him dinner. Even if the maids told her that they could do it. She gave him pain-medication even if Kaoru told him not to take any, and once she left, he opened a bottle of wine and drank through half of it before he fell asleep.

He felt just as sick now as he did the minute he left the clinic, but he couldn't help himself. His body craved it even if he didn't necessarily want it.

Curse her very existence. It was all her fault. She made him vulnerable and weak, making his brain have no say so to what his heart wanted.

And his heart wanted to forget her. His heart wanted to cause him pain, so that the pain of betrayal wasn't so bad.

Emotional pain was far more excruciating than what was physical. He just wanted it to stop.

He sat in his chair, using his foot against the leg of his desk to sway his chair slightly. His mind going back on what his brother had told him the night before.

 _"If you hate Haruhi... why are you so sad?"_

 _"It's like you're at war with yourself."_

He stared mindlessly at the keyboard of his laptop, feeling his heart twinge. Was he at war with himself? Was it childish to think that he hated her? Was he only saying that to make himself feel better?

Was it because of the lies? Or was it because he couldn't see her? Couldn't touch or hold her... couldn't _have_ her.

He groaned, resting his elbow on the table, holding his forehead in his palm. Why was life so complicated?

Akemi, who still stood in the same place, looked down at him. Not in ounce of sympathy in her eyes for him.

"Sir," she said lightly. "If you have a headache, might I suggest pain pills?"

"No."

"Your coffee is there. If you need anything else just ring for me." She gave her last concerns to him before turning on her heel to walk away. She looked up and saw her other boss. She bowed her head as they passed and left the room just as quickly as he entered.

She shooed away all her co-workers by the door, and went to work.

Kaoru, who had heard from his employee's that his brother was back, looked away from his twin's secretary and glanced towards the large desk. He grinned once he saw Hikaru, and threw himself over the table once he got to him.

"Hika!" He exclaimed, leaned over the edge of his brother's desk. "You're back. I didn't know you were coming in today. You didn't tell me!"

Hikaru looked up at him. dark bags hug beneath his once golden eyes, but that was a normal look and Kaoru was well passed 'used' to it. Hikaru looked back down at his laptop, not saying a word.

"You don't look so good today," his younger twin admitted quietly, standing up straight. "why did you come in? You just got out of the hospital yesterday. I was hoping you'd be in bed sleeping it off or something."

Hikaru just shrugged, finally turning on his computer. "I didn't want to stay home."

"Was Kagami bothering you?"

"Kagami wasn't there. She left after dinner last night, said she needed to visit her mother."

Kaoru gave him a strange look. "Uh huh..."

Hikaru ignored the look from his brother and averted his attention back to his laptop, turning it on to go to his email folder in which Akemi was supposed to send his accounts to. He stopped to run his fingers into his forehead, massaging his throbbing headache. Trying to soothe it.

Kaoru looked down at him, leaning further onto his desk. "See? You've got a headache. Should'a stayed home since you're still sick, but I guess you're here now. Do you want-..."

Kaoru cut himself off as his expression changed. His brother's hair was a mess and he looked sick. He didn't look as such even coming home from the clinic. He leaned in further, attracting his twin's strange gaze as soon as their faces were only a few inches apart.

He gave a sudden gasp in shock and threw himself back. Pointing his finger accusingly. "Oh my god."

Hikaru sighed.

"Hikaru, you were drinking last night."

He ignored him.

"You were. I even told you not to! The doctor told you not to. Oh my god. You-"

"Kaoru, stop it."

"Stop it? What's the matter with you? You know you're sick. You aren't supposed to be drinking anymore. You aren't going to get better. I told you, and you told me you weren't. It wasn't just one too many shots. You have an addiction, you can't-"

"Last time I checked, you weren't my mother so-"

"I don't care! I'm your brother, and if mother knew, she'd be just as upset about it. She tried to call you last night to check on you, but she said you wouldn't answer."

"...My phone was off."

"It rang, which means you ignored it on purpose."

"I just didn't feel like talking on the phone I wasn't feeling-"

"But you were feeling up to getting drunk. God dammit Hikaru, you know I only nag you because I don't want you to-"

"Want me to what? What I do doesn't affect anybody else, and it shouldn't affect you. You can go on about what Haruhi would say, but I don't care what she would approve of anymore. I didn't come to work to be told what to do."

Hikaru looked up at his brother, looking at his face. Seeing a look he hadn't seen his brother wear in a really long time. He was mad at him.

Kaoru took a deep breath, standing up straight. "...Fine. Do whatever you want from now on, Hikaru. I give up. But you know what you're doing."

"I don't care."

"Well you used to." He stared him down, turning around. "And when my brother wants to come back, tell him I'll be in my office. Because I don't have to care what you do either. Ruin your life, your health, but don't bring down everybody else with you."

He didn't say anything so he continued.

"Everyone just wants to help you, but if you don't want it, and aren't going to appreciate it, then no ones going to help you anymore."

Hikaru just looked back down at the laminated computer screen.

His lips tightened into a straight line and Kaoru knew he wasn't going to get anything else out of him. Hikaru glared at the back of his brother's head as he walked away. He didn't look away until the door slammed shut.

He shook his head, not feeling an ounce guilt. He frowned and finally opened his inbox, looking for the accounts he had to file through. They were at the top of his file, but as he scrolled down to his other un-read messages he found a message from yesterday that had Kyouya sent him.

He mentioned something about an email before I hung up on him... He never called back.

His finger hovered over the button to open the message to read it, but he scrolled up to his accounts instead. He opened each one, and looked through them. The numbers started adding up and becoming larger. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Obviously he had ignored his work for far too long.

Closing his eyes so tight they began to water, he went back and opened the message from Kyouya. He looked at it weird, as the message said it held no content. He had to scroll down quiet a bit until there was just a few lettering that made him stop.

He just... stopped.

 _'I know who you're looking for.'_

Below that sentence, was an address.

 _Enter Kyoto Jukan Highway at KutsuKake - Tamba exit －_ _Route 9 through Fukuchiyama - Route 175 - Route 176. Yasano Kyoto. 108, Kiyamachi Street._

He blinked a few times, rubbing his face. Never in his life had he seen directions more confusing. He had to take a few minutes before he was able to mentally translate it to make sore sense.

His finger moved around the screen, reading each word again.

 _'I know who you're looking for.'_

They know?

Who knows?

Who are they?

What do they want?

Are they talking about the same person? About Haruhi?

Hikaru's mind back tracked back to what he and Kyouya talked about. He didn't seem that interested and he wasn't feeling good so he didn't pay attention. Whoever this person was, they know, or knew Haruhi, and maybe they knew where she was.

He stared at the address. He stared for so long, his eyes began to burn. He blinked and glanced over at the printer sitting on the other side of the desk. He rapped his heel against the floor fought with himself to press the print button.

 _Do it._

 _Don't do it._

 _You... want her back._

 _No you don't._

 _You still love her._

 _No you don't._

 _She's everything to me still, I want her back._

 _She ruined your life. She left. She doesn't want you. If she did, she would have come back._

 _You miss her..._

 _She_ made _you miss her._

He moved his hand away from the mouse-pad, and threw himself into his chair. Was he tempted by the email? Yes. Did he wanted to believe it No. They weren't any closer in finding Haruhi than they were six months ago. This was too easy. It was just way too easy.

Someone emailed Kyouya the place to someone who knew Haruhi? And they could tell them where she was? This happens after almost two years? After searching none stop since the week she left, someone just emails the address of someone who knows her, and could possible tell them where she is?

It was too easy, and completely and utter crap. He wasn't going for it. Someone was wrong. Somewhere there was a catch. He didn't want to be disappointed. He didn't want to be lied to anymore.

He looked at the address, and his heart ached. His blood felt hot and he chewed his bottom lip. He looked between his laptop and the printer. He rubbed his hands over the desk, pinching his fingers together.

He finally gave in and turned the printer on. Pressing the 'print' button.

It took a few moments, but eventually, as everything started up, the paper slowly made its way out of the printer's mouth. He breathed deeply from his mouth and mussed his hair with his hands. Gripping his bangs with his fingers.

He grabbed the paper as soon as it came out, and looked at it as though he was expecting it to talk and explain. He folded it almost instantly and stuck it into his shirt pocket.

He looked at his watch.

It was ten-fifteen.

five an a half hours to Kyoto, Seven to Yasano.

He grumbled and grabbed his phone.

 _It's gonna be a long day..._

* * *

"Oh! Kyouya, maybe it's like Romeo and Juliet."

"...Renge."

"It is. Oh my god, Kyouya. What if Haruhi got into a dangerous situation and had to fake her death?"

Kyouya sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. "I seriously doubt it."

Renge looked over at her husband from across the dinner table, as they were eating lunch, and threw herself almost over the edge of it. "You keep putting down all my ideas. We're never going to find her at this rate."

"Renge, we're looking for a missing person, not writing a novel."

"...Basically the same thing."

Kyouya leaned into his chair. The maid brought in a platter of their lunch and placed down his glass of sparkling water beside him. He picked it up and laid his lips against the rim of the goblet. Letting the cold liquid graze his mouth.

"...I had a lead this time." He mumbled. "Convincing Hikaru to do something when he's at the prime of his depression though, is more difficult than putting lipstick on a pig."

Renge pouted, laying her cheek on her hand. "I'm not sure if he cares anymore or not. But I'm going to have to argue on his theory. Haruhi leaving him for his money is way too cliché. And wanting to be with another man is ridiculous. I mean... if you're already with one of the most richest men in fashion, why leave him for someone else?"

"Renge... Haruhi was kidnapped."

"I know, I was just mentioning that Hikaru's wrong. Isn't that what we were doing?"

"I'm saying Hikaru's stupid."

She sighed, throwing her head back to lean against the head of her chair. "Ugh... Now I'm getting irritated. And he said he didn't want to go, or something like that?"

"That he didn't care. The offer still stands. I'm not paying another hundred thousand on someone else to do it. He can pay it. I don't want anyone's hopes up this time, but it's worth checking out."

"Why don't you go yourself?"

"I'm not driving to Kyoto again. That'd be twice in one month. I have things to do. I don't have five hours to spend. Plus with my ranking, it'd be dangerous."

She looked up at him again, highly interested. "Like... what kind of dangerous? Are they like... the Mafia? Oh my gosh, Haruhi was kidnapped by the Yakuza!"

"... _No_."

"Oh."

"What would the Yakuza want with Haruhi? She's just a defense lawyer."

"...Ransom?"

"Hypothetically speaking they were the Yakuza, and they did want ransom money, then why haven't they contacted us some way? Telling us what they wanted?"

She grumbled, looking away. "I didn't ask for your logical opinion."

He shook his head. He picked up his glass again and tipped it back slightly. The ice cubes tickling his freshly shaven upper lip. "I don't even-"

Kyouya stopped himself from continuing as he reached for his phone from inside his shirt pocket. He wasn't sure how many times he was going to have to say the same thing before his auburn friend would do what he asked of him, but he was going to have to tell him again. Because if not him, then who?

It had always come down to that question...

The phone rang three times before there was a click sound. Kyouya leaned further into his seat, waiting for a voice to appear. There was a few moments before he heard sound, and that sound was loud and whooshing. He pulled the phone away slightly before speaking into it.

"Hikaru?"

There was another few moments of the loud whirling sound before his voice finally buzzed into the speaker, sounding slightly irritated.

"What? I'm driving."

Kyouya made a face. "You're driving? Where?"

"Where do you think?"

"Work, I hope."

"I just came from there."

"I highly doubt that you were even finished with work. You're going home now? You know you're not supposed to be doing anything too physical. You're still-"

"Sick. Yeah, I know." Hikaru grumbled, causing static to wavelet through the speaker. "But I'm busy. I'm... in Kyoto now."

Kyouya but his tongue, breathing out slowly. "...Why?"

"What'a mean why? You're the one who told me to go there."

"...You read the email."

"Yeah? You sent it to me and told me to read it. What did you think I was going to do?"

"Please tell me you're not going to that place. You are not going there, right?"

Hikaru hesitated. "...Now wait a minute, you told me to go there. I'm like... halfway there now. you-"

"Oh my god. Why would you do that? Shit, Hikaru you can't go there. Tell me you have someone with you. Did you bring the police at least? One officer?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I don't trust that place. Whoever sent that email wants you there. Considering what happened to Haruhi, they're expecting someone to go there to take her back. It's way too easy. You have to go back. Go stay somewhere, I'll call-"

"Don't bother."

"Hikaru, I'm serious. You can't."

"Why not?"

"It's dangerous."

Hikaru huffed, pausing again before continuing. "whoever's there, obviously knows something right? That's what you said. If it's dangerous why would I want my wife there?"

Kyouya moved his hand through his hair, clenching his bangs between his fingers. "No one there will like you, Hikaru. If they wanted to, they'll kill you."

"What's the difference with Haruhi being there?"

"Play the fucking hero, and I'll kill you myself."

"Hmm, I'll take my chances."

"Why the sudden change of attitude? Just yesterday you wouldn't have anything to do with any of this." Kyouya pulled his glasses off, gripping them in his hand. "If you go there by yourself, they're either going to do to you, whatever they did to Haruhi, or they're just going to mug and kill you. We can't just rush-"

"Kyouya..."

" _What_?"

"I know I've been an ass lately, and I'm sorry, but I really don't give a damn who they are, or what they're doing. I can't live anymore."

Kyouya took another deep breath. "Right, good, all is forgiven, but you don't understand the situation. You don't know what they could do. I don't know what they could do. I want you to turn around."

"...You know, I've been thinking. I've said things to people that I'm not particularly proud of, to a lot of people. It's been so long time, but I realize now that I'm practically digging my own grave now with the way things have gone, and I-"

"I don't care if you're sorry, everyone's sorry. I'm not worried about that now. I just don't want you to put yourself into something you can't get out of."

"You've done a lot for me in the past two years, Kyouya, and despite what you think, or what everyone says. I have appreciated it. I never wanted you to do anything, but you still did it, so thanks... a lot.

"Hikaru, you need-"

"But you need to stay out of my business now."

"Damn it, Hikaru you can't-!"

The phone call ended on the other end and Kyouya was urged to slam it into the table. He took a deep breath once again and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Placing his glasses down before he'd crush them.

Renge looked at him worriedly. She bit her lip and didn't say a thing as she watched her husband dial into his phone again, calling someone else.

This time, the phone rang a few times, and neared the point where Kyouya thought they wouldn't answer, but they did, and there was a thump sound and someone squeaking in pain.

"Kyouya!" Tamaki piped up, grunting. "I didn't expect you to call today, I was just.. _working_. What're you doing?"

"Tamaki... We're about to lose another Host member."

"...Huh?"

"Hikaru's gone and done something stupid."

* * *

Hikaru looked out his car window as he drove down a thin one-way street. He curled his nose and gripped the steering wheel.

"This place reeks of poverty."

He had seen worse places, and while Yasano wasn't terrible looking, it was very isolated, and plain. A perfect ideal place for the middle-class. Which of course, he knew nothing of. Buildings were all the same three colors. Made of either bricks, or cement. Homes were bricks, or made of, of what looked like old drift wood if by the river.

He had accidentally made eye-contact with a strange man who looked at his car weird, and he rolled the windows up.

"It even smells poor here." He commented to himself, glancing around, looking at everything with a critical eye. "What a dump."

The car was silent with just him in it, so that gave him a lot of time to just sit there and think. Which wasn't something he had done recently. He realized what he wanted, and what he didn't want anymore, and decided that he wasn't going to accept it anymore.

He wasn't going to accept not having her anymore. Because of his sadness, he was blind and said things out loud that now he regretted, but it was too late now. Whoever this person was who he was going to, knew something, and if that something was about Haruhi, he'd be that much closer to having her back.

He didn't want to live another year without her. He didn't want to live another week, or an hour without her.

The thing he wanted most right now was to hold her, and he'd admit only to himself that he wanted to kiss her.

Hikaru flushed his mind clean of any of those thoughts, and made sure he looked straight, so not to see the locals condemnatory glares and to pay attention to not run into anyone's mailboxes on the tiny streets.

He came to the end of the road and his GPS binged cheerily. An automated voice informed him that he had reached his destination and he turned the wheels slightly, parking on the curve.

He looked to the side and saw the house he supposedly was supposed to be at. It was two stories of dark red wood. The windows were different sizes and covered by what looked like hanging tatami mats. There was no porch, just a small square off to the side where the door was, where the roof hung over.

The strip of grass that was in the front was untended and dead because of the coldness in the weather. Dried brown leaves were pushed across the sidewalk in front of it as the breeze picked up. As the days were starting to become shorter, the five o-clock sun was just above the rooftop. Hanging lights in front of the door were slightly tinted, and he could only guess that they were solar.

He groaned and turned the car off. It didn't look like a dangerous place. With the dead potted plants that were on each side of the door. It just didn't look... _friendly_.

Carefully shutting the car door, he pulled his hood over his head and stuck his hands into his pockets. "Fantastic... Just what I need."

As the house was just across the tiny street, it didn't take long for him to get to the sidewalk. He took his time, as there was no other cars in sight.

He rubbed his foot awkwardly against the sidewalk as he looked at the door. He clenched his hand into a fist, contemplating on knocking. Then he stopped and thought... _Why should he knock?_

He laid his hand over the door, ready to just slid it open the way he was made to. But as he tried to move it, it wouldn't budge. He looked down towards the handle of it and noticed that a long thin rope was tied through it, and around a metal hoop that stuck out from the wall beside the door.

He just stared at it. _It's_... _locked from the outside?_

"I... don't even want to know."

Without a second thought towards the consequences, he untied the tight knot in the rope and untangled it from the hoop. Scowling as he pulled it from around the door handle and let the rope fall to his feet he slid the door opened and instantly stepped inside, not bothering to shut it behind him.

He looked around the naturally lit room. Strangely, it looked a lot cleaner than he thought it would look. The floor looked properly swept where there wasn't tatami mats. The walls were an olive green with dark brown trimming, and while the colors were horrible, it wasn't unbearable. It had a comfy, inviting aroma.

He stepped further into the room, trying to find a clue that a living soul actually was present. The lights that were on in another room sneaked into the one he stood in. He turned and tried to look into the room in which the lights came from, but it turned to a corner and he couldn't tell.

As he had just broke into this strange house, he was beginning to get a timid feelings in his knees. Knowing that he shouldn't be there at all. He clenched his jaw and wished he had picked up his phone from the center-console, and brought it with him, but he didn't.

If he died today, no one would know.

He cringed and turned around as he heard a soft creak behind him. There wasn't anything there and hesitantly he walked a little into another room. There was more of the tatami and all the walls were painted the same green shade. In the other room, there was a much softer looking rug.

Looking down, he saw a few toys on the rug. Children's toys, but only a few miscellaneous ones. He raised his brow, wondering if he was even in the right house.

Deciding to go back and leave, Hikaru swallowed and slowly turned around, but before he turned all the way around, he caught a glimpse of someone standing beside him.

He jumped, slightly frightened, but before he could process anything and explain himself, a sharp, sudden pain was afflicted to the back of his head.

A panicked squeak was heard as his vision turned pitch black.


	20. Chapter 20

**It's A Dream**

* * *

There was clinking sounds as a few hangers were thrown across a metal railing.

"what about this one?"

"...It's pink."

"I like pink."

"But we don't know if it's a girl or a boy yet. If it's a boy, then it'd be stuck with pink."

"Oh please, Kaoru. You wore pink all the time when you were little."

"Wasn't my choice and I hate my mother for it."

Mokoto stuck her lip out and put the crib lining back on the rack. "You're more picky than I am."

Kaoru looked over at her, but he didn't snicker and ruffle her hair like he would have done had she retorted him. He tightened his lips and turned his back to her, fingering a blanket subconsciously as it was folded on a shelf.

She turned to him. He had been uncharacteristically quiet since they got to the baby furnishing store. He didn't seem that interested in picking anything. She practically dragged him around the cribs, pointing out the ones she liked but all he did was nod and agree with her.

He never agreed with her on anything without a little arguing.

She grumbled, feeling her light chap-stick crack as she puckered her lips. "Well you could help me. It's not just my baby, ya' know."

He turned and looked at her. He looked concerned, that he had said something wrong, but his face softened as soon as he realized what was wrong.

"Sorry..." he mumbled quietly, poking at a stuffed animal. "I was thinking."

"You're always thinking. But your thinking normally coincides with your social speaking. Unless it's really bothering you..."

He shrugged. "No, I just... I haven't heard from, Hikaru."

She moved her hand over to purple blanket, but it wasn't soft enough and moved to another one. "You're worried about him?"

"...That and we... kind of had a disagreement earlier."

She sighed, not even looking at him. "Why do you always do that? You know he's sensitive."

"I know, but he started it. He makes me mad intentionally."

"For what?"

"He's sick and I told him he can't drink anymore, and this morning he came to work with a hangover. He told me that I need to stay out of his business but... It is my business isn't it?"

She didn't reply right away, not liking what he was saying. "Maybe he goes to alcohol for comfort. Since he doesn't have anyone else."

"He has a lot of people. He just doesn't let anyone comfort him."

"Hikaru doesn't want comfort from anyone else. He wants, Haruhi. And her coming back is the only comfort that can help him."

"Hikaru doesn't want her back. He's told me this."

"He just says that because he knows you aren't gong to be able to bring her back."

Kaoru grabbed a stuffed animal monkey (that looked quite frightening) and clenched his hand around it. "He needs to understand that alcohol isn't going to bring her back either."

Mokoto hesitated as she grabbed the innocent stuffed monkey away from her husband's death grip. "Maybe alcohol helps him forget how much he misses her."

Kaoru made a growl deep in his throat and slipped his hands into the pockets of his coat. "I went back and wanted to apologized but his assistant said he left work early. I called his phone but he didn't answer so I called his house and when the maids picked it up, they said he wasn't home."

He frowned. "Now I don't know where he is and... I'm kinda worried."

"I'm sure he's fine. Maybe he's just mad at you and doesn't want to talk."

"That doesn't make me feel better. I basically said that I didn't like him anymore, that he wasn't my brother..."

She gasped, lightly slapping his arm. "Kaoru. You can't say that!"

"I know! That's why I wanted to apologize. I mean, I just meant that he wasn't the same anymore. I didn't mean to really hurt his feelings."

She turned around, and walked down the aisle. Kaoru hurriedly followed her, being cautious with her walking by herself even if her belly wasn't that big yet. "You'll apologize the next time you see him. You can't cushion yourself by saying that over the phone."

He wrapped his arm around her waist. "...I know."

She opened her mouth, and pointed towards something that caught her eye. Kaoru was about to ask what it was, when his phone started ringing. He sighed and un looped himself from his wife.

With his heart pounding slightly from the thought of his brother and closed his eyes as he answered it.

"...Hello?"

"Kaoru..."

Kaoru loosened up. "Kyouya... what're you doing? I thought you had a meeting this evening. What's up?"

Kyouya's voice was thin and almost quiet. "I postponed my meeting for next week."

"I thought it was important."

"It was important. Until your brother messed up my schedule. Have you heard from him?"

"...No."

"Crap."

"Why?"

Kyouya hesitated. Kaoru glared at his tone and looked over at Mokoto, but she was too busy asking a store employee about a box that was on the top shelf. He turned around, leaning on a rack full of stuffed bears. "...Kyouya?"

"Hikaru isn't Tokyo anymore." He finally replied, sighing deeply, making Kaoru flinch at the static. "He left earlier and h-"

Kaoru's heart almost stopped. "What do you mean he isn't in Tokyo anymore!?"

"Hikaru left for Kyoto after work. I thought you'd know what he was doing."

"No! Hikaru doesn't tell me anything anymore!"

Kaoru took a deep breath, running his hands ruggedly through his hair. His blood felt hot as Kyouya continued. "I haven't heard from him in hours, he's on his way to get, Haruhi."

Kaoru squeezed his eyes shut. His voice staggering. "H- Haruhi? But... We don't know where she is, how does he..."

"I made a mistake in sending him an email. He doesn't know what he's doing. He doesn't know what he's looking for. But I don't know what's there, or who. I don't trust anything there. Whoever sent me that email wants him there. And he's going to get himself killed."

The phone almost slipped from his fingers. His gut tightened and he looked a little faint. "I-... Well you know where he is right? You-... you can go get him? Where is he? What-"

"He's in Kyoto. I haven't heard from him in hours. He was on his way there when I talked to him. that was five hours ago."

"Shit! Kyouya, what're we gong to do? We have to go get him. Who's there? Why haven't you done anything?!"

"Calm down, Kaoru. I'm sure nothing has happened. It's okay, I mean... I expect him to get into a car accident before someone actually threatens him or-"

"Kyouya!"

Kyouya sighed, on the other side of the line he rubbed between his eyes. "I called everyone else. Where are you?"

Kaoru looked around, watching Mokoto. She was standing alone, silently fawning over a pink outfit. She as tapping her heel (probably waiting for him to go back to her). He bit his lip. "I'm at the store with Mokoto, but-"

"We're leaving."

"To go get him?"

"He really doesn't know what he's getting himself into."

"I'm coming too."

"We'll pick you up."

"No. I have a car. I'll met you there."

The phone call ended. His heart was pounding as he pocketed his cell and stared at the floor. He rubbed his hands over his face and fixed his bangs. His breathing was jagged as he looked around again, finding his wife in the same spot where she was.

Mokoto sighed, placing the small baby outfit up on the rack. She chewed on her bottom lip and looked at another one. Which was also pink. She looked over her shoulder, but her husband wasn't there anymore.

Concerned, she turned around over her other shoulder and nearly jumped out of her shoes when she saw him right beside her.

"Kaoru..." she muttered, furrowing her brow at his face he gave her. He was zipping up his coat. "What are you doing? Where are we going?"

"Nowhere, _I'm_ leaving." He said, hurriedly. Adjusting his hair. "I have to go do something. Hikaru somewhere. I have to go get him."

She gave him a weird look. "Oh, okay. I'll-"

"No, _I'm_ leaving. You have to stay here." He said, looking down at her, touching her cheek. She tilted sideways as his lips grazed her skin. "I'll be back, I promise."

"Wait a minute, you can't just leave. What about-"

"It's okay. I'm taking the car." He explained vaguely. "I'll call a limo to take you home, or wherever you want. I have to go."

"But-"

He walked away from her before she continued, then backed up again, cupping her face with one hand and touching her stomach with his other. Kissing her fast on the lips. "Buy whatever you want, okay? I love you."

His lips barely touched her before he pulled away. She reached for his hand as he walked away but their fingers slipped through the other's and he was soon out of her sight around the aisles and other customers.

Mokoto stood there in the middle of the baby aisle alone now and placed her hand on her small baby bump.

"Okay," she finally replied to what he said, but this time only to herself. "I love you, too..."

* * *

As that sudden throbbing, aching pain was brought upon the back of his head, Hikaru stumbled forward, barely keeping on his feet.

His vision went pitch black for a split second before he gained his normal vision back. It was blurry and he felt sick. He Clenched his eyes shut and gripped his head after he stabled himself, not being able to not exclaim out in pain.

"Ow!"

There was a panicked squeak and a loud thump. He clenched his teeth, pressing his hands t his head, waiting for the deep, penetrating ache in his skull. His fingertips dug into the back of his head over the hood of his jacket and he stared at the floor, watching it stop spinning, and fading into a solid surface again.

Then, there was a voice behind him.

"You're lucky it wasn't cast-iron! It... would have hurt a lot worse, but... I don't have one of those!"

Still staring at the floor in complete shock after being hit in the head with a very blunt object, Hikaru blinked and opened his mouth. He had to close it to hiss in pain as he touched a rather soft spot, that was swelling, with his fingers.

He stood up straight, still rubbing his head. Dumbfounded, and quite shaken up. He looked around but didn't see anything. He had just seen someone next to them, but they were no longer there. There was indeed someone behind him, but he didn't want to look.

Whoever it was, from the sound of their voice, they were female.

He closed his eyes again, still rubbing his head. "...Damn it. What the hell was that?"

There was a whimper behind him. "Get out of this house. _Now_. He wanted a little more time."

He flinched, listening to the voice behind him. The voice was feminine, but purposely deep and quiet. They were almost whispering. He didn't want to get hit again, so he turned around slowly. His shoulders tensed, expecting to be struck.

What he was a metal pot on the floor near his feet. He guessed that was the weapon used to make the giant knot on his head. He looked up and saw a short woman leaning against the wall, inching towards the doorway to the thin hall, where the door was.

He raised his brow. She had hit _him_. Why was she moving away so timidly?

"Hey, wait a minute!" He exclaimed, making her freeze in her tracks. Her knees shook and while his head still throbbed fairly bad he tried to ignore it.

He looked down at the floor, avoiding eye-contact with him.

Her shoulders shook, as she pressed herself harder against the wall. "...I'm sorry."

He was growing more confused. "...What?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit you. It was an accident."

He grumbled, unintentionally sounding irritated. "...You accidentally hit people _really_ hard."

"I'm sorry." She muttered quietly, looking off towards the doorway that she stood by. She looked like she was looking at something in particular. "I'm sorry, I... Take whatever you want. None of its mine anyway."

"...Take what?"

"Isn't that what you're here for?"

"What? What'd you mean?"

She tilted her head slightly. Tipping an eyebrow. "...You're not a very good robber."

He scoffed. "I'm not a robber. This place is a piece of crap. What would I steal?"

She frowned, looking back down. Her voice whispering again. "That's not nice."

"Hitting people with water pots isn't nice either, is it?"

She pressed her fingertips hard against the wall. "...B-breaking and entering isn't either."

His expression softened, standing up straight. "I guess not. But... I thought I was-... I guess I have the wrong house."

"No. I know why you're here."

He opened his mouth, but she cut him off.

"...You're looking for someone, but you can't have him."

"...What?"

He continued to stare at her. Something about her was strange. The way she seemed scared of him. Afraid to look at him. Apologizing to him constantly. She was afraid of him. As though she thought he might do something to her.

Hikaru tilted his head, trying to look at her face, but she was on purposely hiding it from him with her hair.

Her very, _very_ , ugly, blonde hair.

He raised his brow. Moving his hand up to touch the bump on his head again. It was tender and he flinched, wincing an eye as he pressed on it. he watched as she inched closer to the doorway, ready to leave out of the room to get away from him. Her face tilted away from her hair and he saw a purple blotch on her upper cheek.

His heart beat faltered. "Stop! Don't move."

She froze instantly, just like earlier. Her shoulders trembled this time. Even from where he was standing, he could see her shake. Her knees were pressed together and her toes were curled into the soul of her straw-woven flip-flops.

"I'm not looking for a ' _he_ '." He informed, correcting her from her earlier comment. "I don't want anything from here. I was... I got lost and I thought this was the place I was supposed to be. I guess it isn't."

"You want to take the baby. You're the not the first man to come for him."

"...I don't want your baby."

"...You're lying. I've been through this too many times with men like you."

He cocked his head. "Child protective services?"

"If only."

She moved her head, and turned to him slightly. She was looking down at his feet. Her bangs shadowing her facial features. His heart thumped violently against his ribcage, coming to a hard realization to what should have been obvious to him from the start.

"...I'd, appreciate it, if you'd leave now."

"No."

She gave the floor a weird expression. "I thought you wanted to. Leave please."

"No." He repeated, looking at her with a firm scowl.

He took a step closer to her, but she slid across a wall, as if she thought that she'd get away from him. She gulped, feeling tears weld against her eyelashes. He stepped up to her, being so close he could hear her breathing.

"...Stand up." He ordered lightly. He meant nothing of it, but she did what he told her to like he was a drill sergeant. He looked down at her, seeing her long shiny blonde hair. But her dark chestnut roots stood out like a sore thumb.

His fingertip grazed the top of her head where her brown hair was and she ducked down, making herself a few inches smaller. His expression dropped to a saddened frown, making one more request.

"Look at me."

Standing a little closer, his chest nearly touching her own. She hesitated, pressing her hands to her slightly perky chest. Her big dark brown eyes moved up until they met his.

Once she looked up at him. The flooding feeling of happiness of having his question from earlier be answered was overwhelming. His heart that had, for so long, been cold and hallow, suddenly felt warm and pounded harshly. creating a black tattoo from the inside. He saw her brown eyes, her nose, her naturally pale lips. The shape of her cheekbones and her small forehead under her bangs. The voice he had heard earlier, now matched all of that perfectly.

And the feeling was too indescribable. It was a kind of happiness he never thought he'd feel again.

Her face didn't change, while his lips quivered into a tiny smile as he brushed his thumb over the soft skin of her cheek.

"...I though you sounded familiar."

She looked at him weird. Her eyes flickered, up and down. Looking at him oddly. She saw his face, and then, finally she knew who was standing in front of her. His eyes gave off this certain sparkle that they reflected off of the light on the ceiling. And as she watched his eyes glaze over with his own tears her hands moved up and threw his hood off, instantly shoving her fingers into his auburn hair.

She still trembled, but now she was much closer to him, and wasn't scared anymore. "Hikaru...?"

His moved his hands down, gripping her arms securely, it was almost as though, if he thought that if he let go, she'd slip away. _Again_.

His throat clenched as he barely even nodded. "Haruhi."

They didn't know who's fault it was, or if it was both of them, but they both fell to their knees. They ignored the pain from the fall and without a second thought towards anything, they clung to each other, tightly. Neither of them even had to say anything.

He moved his hands from her arms, up to her hair. He ignored the fact that her hair wasn't as soft and thick as he remembered, and also avoided asking why her hair was blonde in the first place. Right now he didn't care what she looked like.

Her arms looped around his neck and she pressed her face into the side of his face, rubbing her nose into his hair. He squeezed her tightly, pulling her even closer.

He forgot about all the lies.

The hurt.

The pain.

All was forgotten because he just didn't care about it anymore. His mind was completely blank as he held onto her. His tears were more noticeable so his hid his face in her neck. Feeling her quiver in his unnaturally tight embrace.

Her fingers were gentle against his head. With her eyes glistening with tears she moved his hair around. She chuckled quietly her throat vibrating with a distant sob.

"...I hit you in the head."

He snickered, stroking his hand over her hair. "I always thought a pot would be your ideal weapon of choice."

She continued to play with his hair. "...I'm sorry."

"You already said sorry."

"I wasn't talking to you then. I thought you were someone else..."

He moved his arms so he could hug her tightly. His voice still unsteady as he gripped her tighter. In their position, he couldn't see her, but he didn't have to. He just needed to be able to feel her.

He runs his hand over her soft cheek. Bringing her face up towards him. Their noses brushing slightly. "...You look different."

A small grin grew across her tear soaked cheeks, and she nodded. "You look... older."

"Yeah, that's obviously something I want to hear."

She snickered, leaning her head down to wide her cheeks, but he grabbed her wrist and used his thumb to do it for her. Her heart hurt as he wiped her tears away. "I don't understand..."

His fingers stopped. "...I didn't think I'd find you here either."

"No." She muttered quietly, rubbing the ball of her hand to wipe away her own tears. "Why did you come here? How did you know that this was... how did you know I was here?"

"...I didn't."

"But you're here..."

He shrugged, sniffling. "It's a long story." He moved to bring her closer again, but she leaned out of reach for his hands. He gave her a weird look, and watched her look around, over her shoulder.

She turned back to him after giving him a concerned frown, her nose stuffed as she tried to speak. "...Who told you?"

He shook his head. "No one. Kyouya might know but... he told me not to come here."

"You can't be here."

He leaned back, sitting on his knees. "What?"

"You can't be here, Hikaru. You have to leave." She said lightly, looking around almost scared, and pressed her hand to the floor, lifting herself. "You can't-... you weren't supposed to know."

He went to grab her hand, to stop her from moving, but he missed and just helped himself up along with her.

"Not supposed to know?" He finally grabbed her wrist. "Do you have any idea what's been going on? No one has known where you've been for the past two years. And I'm not supposed to know? You have some explaining to do, don't think you can-"

"Hikaru let go. You have go. You can't be here."

"No! Don't act like nothings wrong. I finally find you and you want me to leave? I'm not letting you go until you explain why you even left in the first place."

She turned around, and tugged her arm, bit his grip was too tight. "He'll be here any minute. Hikaru, let go."

Hikaru glared. "No. You can't just make me leave. I'm not just going to let you leave again."

"I didn't leave. Hika. He'll-"

"Hell what? Who are you even talking about? Damn it, Haruhi. Do you know what everyone's been through to find this damn place. Do you know how many people have been all over the country looking for you?"

Haruhi's body tensed, and she hesitated before pulling at her arm again. But His hand moved up to grip her forearm. Using his other hand to pull her back towards him.

Listening to him, she clenched her jaw to keep herself from crying again. "I didn't think... you were looking for me."

"Why wouldn't look for you?! You tell me you're coming home, but you never did. You didn't think anybody would be worried about you? And what the hell happened to your hair?!"

"Look, I-... I can't explain right now. Hikaru, you didn't come at a good time."

"After two years, anytime is fine! You can't just ignore that. You can't disappear for so long and not want anyone around you when we do find you. The least you could do is tell me why you left. It's not like I'm asking for much."

"I said I didn't leave." She said a little louder. Turning around as there was a tiny thump noise, but it was just the neighbors. "You're being too loud, you have to be quiet or you'll wake up the baby."

"And you have a baby!"

"It isn't that-"

"When you left you didn't have one so obviously it's new!"

She turned back towards him, her lips tightening into a tiny circle. "It's a long story. I'll... I said It's hard to explain. I can't tell you-"

"What do you mean you can't tell me? You could at least tell me why the hell you didn't come back when you said you would. It's a real cruel joke if you thought it was funny."

"Nothing was funny! And the baby isn't new. He's ten months old."

"That's till considered new, Haruhi." He grumbled, tightening his hold on her arm. "...Wait a minute... How do you even have one?! It's not like they just pop out of an egg. Who are you with?!"

Haruhi grew more silent. She stared at the ground with a guilty frown. "...Hika, the baby isn't-"

" _Haruhi_!"

Both Hikaru and Haruhi froze. Haruhi tensed up and managed to jerk her arm out of his grip finally. She turned around and looked over at the open doorway. He grabbed her and tried to pull her to him, but she shrugged off his touch and pushed herself away from him.

And he stood there, feeling completely rejected and confused.

She stepped away from him and was about to leave the room, but as the male voice from the door got louder and, she turned back and shoved him backwards.

"Go down the other hallway." She hissed, pressing her hands to his chest. "Go into the kitchen."

"What? No." He replied, grabbing her hands gently this time, holding her, so she couldn't pull away. "What're you doing? Who's _that_?"

"It's Katsu. He won't want you here. Get into the kitchen. There's a backdoor." She explained, pushing him towards the other doorway. Where there was a paper slid door. "Go around the yard and there's a gate on the side. I'm guessing that's your car on the other side. I watched you park it."

Hikaru grabbed her, pushing her backwards. "I'm not leaving you here. I didn't come all this way, or spend all this time just to leave without you."

She bit her lip, looking more urgent. "You have to. Please, Hikaru. He'll be mad and he has a temper. He won't like it if he knows who you are."

Hikaru stopped, looking down at her. his voice instantly going quiet. "He gave you that mark on your cheek, didn't he?"

Haruhi didn't answer him and as the footsteps got too close, she pushed him and he gave up on arguing. Mostly because he thought it'd be better for her. She barely had time to breath before someone else made their way through the other doorway.

"Haruhi..." Katsu grumbled, his thick black hair shaggy and mussed. "What the hell are you doing in here? What was all that noise?"

"...Hiroshi." She answered almost too suddenly.

"In _here_."

"I was-... I was looking for something." She cursed herself, and her real husband who just suddenly decided to show up. "...I was cooking dinner but... I think we have rats."

He gave her a weird look. "...Uh huh."

Unzipping his coat that he wore, he glanced around the living room suspiciously. He thought he heard something behind the sliding door, but he ignored it as he looked back at her.

His expression hardened as he shrugged off his jacket. "...The front door was open, Haruhi."

She blinked dumbly. "...It was?"

"Why?"

"I... don't know."

"Someone's here. The rope latch was on the ground."

Her heart thumped. "Maybe the wind took it?"

He looked at her. His eye twitched as he concentrated on not blinking for so long while looking around the room. Everything in that room seemed untouched. All was just as it was in the morning when he left for work, except...

There was a black jacket on the floor.

Hikaru's jacket.

He looked up and glared. Haruhi looked down at where he was looking and her heart sank to a sickening level in her stomach.

"Katsu, look. There was this guy but he left. I told him to leave. I guess he left the door open. He didn't take anything I thought he was-"

"...You tried to lie."

"I... I didn't know him. He was looking for you." She took a step back, looking over her shoulder as she made her way towards the kitchen from the same doorway he came through. "He left just a few minutes ago."

He moved his eyes away from what was on the floor and gave her the same merciful scowl. "It was Hibiki, wasn't it? Trying to take you away from me. I thought I told him that you didn't need to go anywhere anymore."

Haruhi nodded, the gears in her head spinning fast as she tried to think. "I told him to come back later when you were here. He... He got mad and threw his jacket on the floor."

"You're cute, Haruhi... but you're a crappy liar."

She sucked in a breath as she back up a little more. He responded in stepping closer to her. Causing her to back up against the wall again. "He's still here isn't he?"

"Katsu, don't. Hiroshi's asleep upstairs I don't want-"

He leaned his face close to hers. "Who is it really, Haruhi? You know this can only go one way for you whether you lie or not. Fess up and I'll be nice about it."

She hesitated. "I... I don't know-" She was cut off as his hand struck her spotless cheek. The slap didn't really hurt, but it echoed around in the practically empty room. She kept her eyes closed, mostly expecting more.

"Where is he?"

"Right here you son of a bitch."

Katus barely had enough time to turn around. He saw Hikaru standing not two feet away from him. he raised his brow, but didn't say anything, as Hikaru's elbow came in contact with his face.

Haruhi gasped and slid across the wall, getting away from where Katsu stumbled back, in fear he'd fall on top of her.

Hikaru straightened himself up. "Don't think you can lay one fucking finger on her. _Bastard_."

Haruhi sent him a warning look. Her mouth gaped open wide, as she couldn't believe he had just hit him in the face, but Hikaru didn't send her one look. He was too busy staring at Katsu, who was steadying himself

He wiped his lip with his sleeve and he looked up, but before he could open his mouth, his feet came out from under him as Hikaru swept his leg out, causing the dark haired man to fall backwards on the floor.

Hikaru looked down at him, his brow furrowed into a tight line just above his eyes. " _Get up_. I'm not done."

Haruhi tried to call out to him, as she began fading into the sidelines, but she kept her mouth shut. She squealed as Katsu's leg then turned behind Hikaru's heel. He used his other foot to kick his leg, sending Hikaru to the floor.

Haruhi winced as she heard him exclaim out of shock. She held her hand out, attempting to stop them, but the fear of being drug into their uncivilized grapple.

Landing on his backside and his hands, Hikaru gasped at his contact with the floor and looked over at the man who tripped him. He grunted and moved his hands to help himself up, but Katsu sat up before he could get that far, and raised his hand up to punch him.

Hikaru turned and grabbed his wrist, twisting it sideways. Katsu hissed out in pain, but that didn't stop him, as he used his other elbow to hit him in his cheek, just as Hikaru had done to him earlier.

Hikaru fell back again, letting out a groan as he clenched his teeth tightly, fighting against the pain in his face. "Now you're pissing me off."

Katsu breathes out heavily, pressing his hand to his knee, helping himself up. He licked his lip and looked over at Haruhi, who had moved around the small coffee table. He looked back down at Hikaru, but he had gotten up and knocked him to the floor again, this time pinning him there.

Hikaru didn't give him time to move to say anything before he pressed his forearm down on him, just above his throat. Breathing heavily himself, with his face throbbing. He wanted to spit in his face. But of course he didn't.

He did have _some_ class left.

Though, he made a mistake. He leaned off of him, and turned to look at Haruhi. She looked like she was about to cry, from what was unfolding in front of her. He sat back, easing off of, Katsu.

He gave him an inch and he took a mile. Katsu stretched his arm out when Hikaru wasn't looking and his fingers grazed the handle of the pot that Haruhi had used on him earlier, and flung it towards him, except this time, it was hard, and to his forehead.

Hikaru didn't even make a sound as he fell backwards, His back landing on the floor. Haruhi almost screamed had it not been for her own hands covering her mouth.

"Hika!" She cried, watching Katsu stand up, finally. She rushed around the coffee table and fell to her knees beside him, grabbing his hand. Her hands going to his head and to hold his hand that laid on the floor. His eyes were closed, and his breaths were calm and slight.

His forehead and bruised and his skin was broken. Haruhi bit her lip, keeping her tears under control and as she fussed over his him.

She didn't need to do that for long however, as a heavy object came down on her next. The pain was sudden but heavy and she instantly fell forward, falling down on Hikaru's chest.

Katsu took a deep breath, tossing the pot down on the floor. He stood up straighter, but from the shock of what had just happened, he became unstable and had to hold onto the door frame.

He looked down at the unconscious couple laying together on the floor. He panicked, immediately fleeing the house.

All was finally quiet in the living room, except for the soft cries of a woken up baby in the distance.

* * *

 **I hope people don't hate me for this chapter. This wasn't the original idea, but the original idea I had was stupid. Hopefully all works out. I'm sorry it was so long. I will try to not make the next one as long. Thank you all for reading! I will update as soon as I can.**


	21. Chapter 21

**A Knock At Death Doors**

* * *

"It's this way."

"Don't turn there, the GPS says down one more. It's on the next turn."

"Kaoru, I think I know what my GPS says."

"Mine says the other way, Kyouya."

"Yours is wrong."

"You didn't put the place in right. Those smart phone GPS's are always wrong."

"Your electronic one with batteries works just as bad."

"We'll we're never going to find them, if you keep stopping at every stop light! Take risks. I knew we should have used one of your squads police cars."

"We're not police. That'd be illegal."

"Maybe we should get out and ask for directions?"

"Shut up, Tono. I know what I'm doing."

"Hika-chan's gonna die!"

"Don't freak me out!"

"Would you all just shut up!? Don't distract the driver."

"I knew I should have just taken my own car..."

* * *

It was black.

Then it was white.

Then it was black again.

The colors were switching from one to the other like a flickering light-bulb, though urgently. Sounds similar to whispering and chitchat of thousands of tiny voices, too sophisticated and high-pitch to determine.

He wanted to grab the neck of those voices and hold them still, shake them until they spoke normally. He wanted to know what they were saying, but they were all talking at once.

The beings making the sounds were invisible. He couldn't see them. Yet they swirled around his head like a tornado of small gremlins, trying on purpose to irritate and drive him mad.

Then the wind picked up, whooshing and whirling around in the distance. Making eerie effects. It'd make anyone's neck hair spike. It was blowing loudly, pulling away the voices as it faded.

Then, it was black and silent. Pitch black and soundless until the sound of a ticking time bomb eroded. It sounded close, and like a clock. The moment he heard himself groan was when he knew he was awake.

Though that was not a feeling he enjoyed, as he felt a piercing, hard pain throb in the front of his skull. He clenched his jaw and hissed, fighting against the pulsing ache in his forehead.

His eyelashes fluttered open like butterfly swings as the ticking stopped. He attempted to move his hand to grab his head, but something prevented it from moving. He jerked his body forward, but he didn't budge. He twisted his wrists, but they rubbed together painfully, and felt something dig into his flesh.

He opened his eyes fully and noticed he was tied to a chair.

He looked down at his side, and saw nothing but bare olive green walls. He turned to the other side and saw a bed. Below him was raw tan tatami mats. His vision was fuzzy, but as he looked up towards the corner right, he could see all to clearly.

And the sight pained him.

Haruhi sat in a chair, and from what he could see, she was tied to it just as he was to his. Her head was down and her hair draped down on both sides of her face. She looked unconscious, which was odd. He hadn't remembered anything happening to her.

The last thing he remembered was seeing a blurred image of a pot being slammed into his forehead. There was a 'clunk' then darkness. He was knocked out, but what had they done to her?

A sudden wave of panic surged through him. He looked at her and struggled against the long thin rope that held him in place, but his efforts were in vain, as he just sat there, fruitlessly jerking and tugging his arms.

He looked back up at her after glancing towards his feet (they were tied to the front legs of the chair). He opened his mouth, and her name barely managed to slip passed his lips before there was a quiet snicker. A snicker that vibrated with a mocking cackle.

Hikaru turned in a haste, looking towards the direction it came from. A man sat on the edge of the bed, greeting his gaze in direct eye-contact.

"You're stuck." The man with dark hair said, chuckling.

Hikaru huffed, turning his cheek to him. Keeping his eyes on his wife on the other side of the room.

His golden eyes widened as soon as he noticed something red trailedon her cheek that he could see through her hair. He clenched his teeth and turned back to the man, who was just sitting there.

"What did you do to her?" He hissed, his pupils twitching.

"Nothing." Was all the man said. Leaning back on one hand, fiddling with his phone with the other.

Hikaru pulled at his arms again, but the square edges of the chair rubbed uncomfortably against his biceps. He wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

He never pulled his eyes away from Haruhi, watching her, seeing if she'd move. But she didn't look like she would either.

"Why are-..." Hikaru hesitated, not wanting to talk to him. "...Why is she tied up?"

The man glanced over towards Haruhi, smirking. "I dunno."

"You're lying!"

"...She's there because she was pissing me off." He answered calmly. "You're here because... if we didn't tie you up, you'd go all psycho on us."

Hikaru gave him a weird look. "Pissing you off? Maybe you're just an asshole. Why is she _bleeding_?"

"I told you. She was giving me attitude." The man shrugged, making himself more comfortable. "You both were unconscious before I got here. The door was open so I thought I'd let myself in."

"Where's that bastard?"

"...Katsu?"

Hikaru's expression darkened. "You know him. Of course. Why am I not surprised?"

"This is his and Haruhi's house, so of course I know him. I'm guessing he knocked both of you out and ran away, because he figured I'd be coming after him."

"Well you can untie me now."

"No. Not yet."

"Well you could untie, _Haruhi_."

"Nah."

"Damn it. What the hell did she do to you?"

The man snickered, giving Haruhi a quick glance. "If I untie her now, she'd fall over."

Hikaru growled, jerking himself forward. "What do you want with her? Do you have something against me? Is that why you took her away?"

Running his hands through his bangs, the man raised his brow and leaned over on his knees. "Took her? I don't know what you mean."

"Bullshit. You know what I'm talking about. Katsu took her and kept her here for almost two years. I wasn't born yesterday."

"I wouldn't know." He smirked, crossing his legs. "I'm not associated with Katsu very well. I just know he's a pain in my ass. Haruhi on the other hand, well... That's my business."

Hikaru bit his lip, his eyes narrowed. "...All I need is a name, so I can kick his ass."

The nameless man didn't bother to try to suppress a laugh. "Like you kicked Katsu's ass? You coming over here is what got you tied up. Not much ass kicking you can do in that chair, can you?"

"Where the hell did he go?"

"You've got a potty mouth.

" _Where_ did Katsu go?"

"I dunno."

Hikaru again tried to keep himself composed. Trying not to scream out in frustration. "Why are you here? Has Haruhi woken up yet?"

"Well you weren't suppose to wake up, I'm only here to make sure Haruhi doesn't leave. I don't care about you."

He was beginning to get tired of asking the same question. "Why are you interested in her?"

"I'm not. Katsu is."

"Then let her go." Hikaru almost exclaimed, getting angry "She's unconscious, you can't just leave her there! You're not making sense. Just let her go. Put her over on the-

"Then again, it doesn't have to make sense to you. It isn't your business."

"She's my wife. If it's anyone's business, it's mine."

The man went completely numb. He looked away from Haruhi and stared at Hikaru. His deep grey eyes went wide as thought he was actually surprised. He didn't let Hikaru see his expression for long however, as he blinked and smirked. Masking his look with another

" _You're_ Haruhi's husband?" He muttered quietly, looking between him and Haruhi. "Fantastic. I guess you think you own everything thing here now then, huh? You came here to take her away, and you think that won't effect anyone?"

"You took her away first! I'm just bringing her home. You kept her long enough. She doesn't want to be here. As soon as I figure out which one of you is lying, you're going to jail, and you're going to rot there. I didn't look everywhere is this god damn country to leave her here with a bunch of assholes who treat her like crap."

"She's not yours anymore."

"The legal marriage certificate says otherwise."

"Paperwork doesn't mean a damn thing in this world anymore." The man said lightly, breathing in love smooth breaths through his nose. "She isn't supposed to be Katsu's either, but he refused to give her up."

Catching on, Hikaru clenched his fists that were tied behind his back and wiggled his ankles against their own restraints. "You're, Hibiki?"

"...I assume you and Katsu had a little conversation?"

"Not really, but he has a big mouth."

"We'll, I'd kill you for knowing too much information, but fortunately for you, the bo-... You're rich, and have connections. I can't shoot you. Cause if I did, I'd get in trouble... but tell me... what's stopping you from mentioning all this to the police?"

Hikaru again tried to loosen the ropes on his hands by fidgeting. "...Nothing."

"Exactly." Hibiki's hands secretly slipped under the blanket beneath him. "If I let you leave here breathing, how am I going to make sure you won't rat us out?"

Hikaru noticed that he was looking at Haruhi and quickly looked at where his hand was going. He squeezed his lips shut and tried not to say anything. He sat there quietly, watching Hibiki pull something out into view.

His heart nearly jumped out of his chest as he saw the dim silver, automatic handgun.

His body tensed and felt his heart drop deep down in his stomach. Hibiki continued to look at Haruhi, and Hikaru moved against the rope again, somehow knowing what he was thinking.

"Touch her and I swear to god."

" _I'm_ not gonna touch her."

Hikaru watched his hands carefully, before looking towards his wife, who still wasn't awake. In the last eighteen months, he had seen her awake and conscious for nearly half an hour. The second he saw her and knew who she was, he knew he'd take her home. Or at least had convinced himself that he'd take her home.

Now, looking at the firearm in this man's hand, he had grown a feeling that he wouldn't make it that far. That he might lose her now, and permanently.

He growled, ripping at his hands. Though all he succeeded in doing was giving himself a rope burn against his wrists.

"This was your plan the whole time then? Because why would you have told me all this in the first place if you didn't want me to know?"

"Well just because you know about Katsu is a good enough reason to kill you. You're not supposed to know about anything. What did Haruhi tell you?"

"Nothing." He was quick to answer, afraid of the worse scenario. But, what he had said, was the truth despite that.

"...I can't let you two leave and tell everyone everything." Hibiki explained, staring down at his revolver, popping the cylinder out, using his other hand to pull out a bullet from his pocket. "Especially Haruhi. She knows everything. And I can't very well have you both in hiding can I?"

"Hiding? Is that what you call it?"

"It's more civilized than hostage, isn't it?"

"Why did you take her into ' _hiding_ ' I mean if you're gonna kill us, might as well explain yourself?"

"Not, you. Just her."

A twinge pierced his heart again. "Why?"

"Because it's not like we need her. She's been quite a handful anyway. Rather irritating actually."

 _Irritating? Then why take her in the first place?_

Hikaru opened his mouth, but was barely able to get one syllable out before he stopped himself, watching Hibiki pop the cylinder back into the middle of the gun. His fingers brushed against it gently before he faced Hikaru again.

"Fine, if you don't want me to, let's play a game to make it more entertaining and... _fair_."

As he popped the cylinder back into the gun, Hibiki pressed his fingers to it, and gave it a tiny spin. It clicked as it went around, until it stopped. Hikaru never took his eyes of him, as his only defense now was his merciful stare.

Without another second, Hibiki pointed it towards his head.

"Normally I wouldn't be allowed to touch you. But we'll make it be by pure coincidence that I killed you." He said all too calmly. "I have one bullet, in one random socket. I'll switch it up, whoever gets hit by it dies."

Hikaru scoffed. "Even if I don't get it, and you hurt her instead, how do you think that's going to stop me from admitting all this to the police? I'm still alive."

He smirked. "I've been waiting for you to ask that. Honestly, you should have just stayed away. If Haruhi didn't contact you for the last year-"

"Eightteen months."

He rolled his eyes. "Eighteen months, then why didn't you give up? Obviously it was fate."

"It wasn't fate cause we're here now."

"Earlier, there was a woman. She was pregnant I believe and it wasn't all the long ago. Maybe two, three weeks ago." He paused. "Her name was Mokoto Hitachiin. A relative of yours?"

Hikaru glared. He didn't respond so he continued.

"Did you know she was kidnapped right in front of her own apartment?"

"..."

"Did she tell you about that?"

Hikaru continued to try to work passed the rope. "...She said she was kidnapped at the store."

"Because I told her not to tell."

"W-...What would you even want from _her_!?"

"To avert attention away from, Haruhi."

"You kidnapped my sister in-law so I'd stop looking for my wife? jokes on you, I wasn't looking for either of them then."

"After you found out Haruhi didn't really die in that car accident, that the casket was empty, what did you expect us to do?" Hibiki pointed the gun towards the floor, petting it as though it was an innocent animal.

Hikaru's expression softened. "So there was a car accident."

"We sent you real pictures of the accident. What did you think it was?"

"Why did it have the name Nakada all over it?"

"Nakada is Katsu's surname."

Hikaru took another deep breath, his hands slowly trying to pull through the loops that were tight against his skin. "The article said that he was Haruhi's husband."

"How am I supposed to know?" Hibiki shook his head. "But because of Ootori, you found Mokoto. Luckily she knew better. But after following her home, we know where she lives, and all the information we need to get the best of her. We may or may not have threatened her, but since we know all these things, we have the ability to use her against you."

Hikaru tried not to show too much emotion. "Against me?"

"Our group is larger than the Yakuza, so it'd be pretty impossible to round us all up. If you mention anything to the police, she's dead. And trust me, even if she changes her location, she'll be easy to find."

Hibiki smirked at his horrified expression. "...That'll make you think twice won't it? Your brother's quite fond of her. How would you think he'd feel if it was all your fault that his wife was killed? His wife _and_ baby?"

"...Why are you doing this?"

Hibiki pointed the gun back up towards Hikaru's head. "I'm afraid that's the one thing I can't say."

"You son of a bitch! What would you even gain from of any of this? Don't tell me you do this for personal pleasure and enjoyment."

Hibiki's face hardened into a disapproving frown. He didn't say a thing as he re-directed the gun towards Haruhi. Hikaru jumped as he pulled the trigger.

There was just a click sound.

He pulled the trigger again and he barrel clicked. His face didn't change as he pulled the trigger again. It clicked. He didn't wait another second before pulling it again. It clicked. Another empty cartridge.

Hibiki hesitated and his finger laid on the trigger again. This time Hikaru flinched, expecting to hear a bang, but that didn't come, nor did a click.

The door slammed open and there was a voice.

"Usa-chan kick!"

He closed his eyes, and darkness over took him. There was a loud thump, some grunting, a door clicking shut, then silence. He pressed his thighs together and slowly peaked one eye open. What he saw however made him jump backwards and almost made the chair tip.

His mirror image kneeled in front of him. Not looking very pleased at all.

He grinned. "Kaoru!"

Kaoru stared at him, his eyes slowly narrowing, twitchingly. "What is the matter with you?! Do you have any idea what kind of heart attack you gave me! Damn it, Hikaru. Don't you ever think before doing something stupid?"

Hikaru blinked. His eyes wide. He turned and saw Hibiki unconscious with Huni sitting on top of him. "How did you guys even..."

"We used the same way you did." Kaoru smiled.

Then he smacked his head.

"Ow!"

"That's for pissing everyone off!"

Hikaru blinked, raising his head, tilting his face to look at his bother. "I'm injured. Shee-..." As he looked away from angry his twin and looked off towards the side. Directly in the corner of the far side of the room, Haruhi was fidgeting. He gasped and lunged forward, trying again to untie himself.

Kaoru looked at him as though he was the stupidest man alive.

"...Hika."

"Untie, untie, untie!"

Kaoru turned away. "Say please."

"Haruhi!"

"That's not 'please'," Kaoru argued, frowning. Then that settled into his mind and he turned around. "Wait... _What_?"

Kaoru looked at the girl who his brother was looking at, and as the woman with blonde hair looked up, looking at all of them with a confused expression he raised his upper lip and thought about it for a moment before gawking in disbelief.

His brother struggled, and he just gave in. Kaoru quickly went behind him and skillfully untied the tight knots. It took but only fifteen seconds to untie both his hands, and Hikaru was about to shook out of his seat until he remembered the knots at his feet. He untied those and before his brother could even embrace him in a hug of relief, he ran to the other side of the room.

Kaoru pouted.

Haruhi, with her eyes darting from each of her friends that were in the room staring at her strangely. She looked away and gasped. Throwing herself against the back of the chair as Hikaru fell to his knees in front of her.

His fingers traced along her jaw line, tilting her head in different angles to thoroughly check for any marks. But just as earlier, he saw the red that had trailed down from her temple down to her chin. She looked up and stared into his eyes as he pushed back her hair.

Hikaru sighed as he saw a small gash, that being the reason for the blood. "...Are you okay?"

She looked around, seeing everyone else behind him. Huni sat on top of Hibiki, and she felt relaxed. Until she saw a dark bruise on her husbands forehead behind his bangs. "Hikaru, your..."

"Ha-ru-hi!" Tamaki, who stood beside Kyouya as they recently just stepped through the door. His face lit up in he brightest grin and he ran towards the couple.

Hikaru scowled and threw his arms around her, she was still tied but that didn't stop him from pressing her face to his chest. His efforts to keep her all to himself were in vain of course, as Tamaki, Huni and Kaoru all threw themselves at them, hugging each other around the chair.

Haruhi wiggled uncomfortably, being in the middle of all of them. "...Ow."

Hikaru shoved everyone off of them and reached his hands behind Haruhi's hands. the rope fell to the floor as he finished releasing her, and luckily, unlike him, her feet weren't tied. He grabbed her swollen wrists and brought them to his chest. Her gaze however was on everyone else.

She hadn't seen any of their faces in over eighteen months. He allowed her to take her time and soak it in.

Her face lit up as she felt Huni wiggle passed everyone else and throw himself over her back, his face ending up near Hikaru's.

"Haru-chan! We missed you so much!"

Tamaki nodded, teary-eyed. "You were gone for so long. I thought we'd never see you again!"

Kyouya and Mori stood off to the side, just watching them. They didn't join in on the group gathering, but were just as happy as anyone else, save for the sappy tears and expressions.

Kaoru threw his upper half over his brothers shoulder. Nuzzling his nose into his hair, his other hand in Haruhi's hair. They all ignored the fact that she had a strange look of appearance. They knew it was her. They didn't need her brown hair to tell them so.

Haruhi relaxed into their arms that were around. "...Hey guys."

Hikaru jerked her forward so she'd be all his, and he was just getting comfortable with her in his arms when she pressed her hands against his chest. She pushing him away and hurriedly turned to the door.

"Ah! I forgot the baby!"

"..."

Hikaru sighed, having another one of their reuniting moments ruined.

* * *

Haruhi walked to the other room that was down the small thin hallway, and lunged over the edge of the crib that was there in the middle against the wall. The room wasn't anything fancy like a practical nursery, it was small and filled with random things. But it was mostly just a dresser and a crib. Nothing else in there looked like it was baby friendly and nothing looked like a baby ever should actually be in there.

Hikaru stood on his top toes as he stepped on the stained tatami mats on the floor, feeling utterly disgusted.

"Ew..."

Haruhi turned to her husband and friends as they stood by the doorway. She rolled her eyes and turned to the baby in the crib.

She stuck her head out to look inside and Hiroshi looked up. His red cheeks were wet and sparkled with former tears. She didn't know how long he had sat there crying to himself, but she guessed for maybe more than an hour.

Hiroshi stuck his short chubby arms up for his mother to pick him up, and not a moment of hesitation passed before she did. She held him up, bringing him to her chest, letting his chubby face rest on her shoulder. His cheek was smashed and squished his eye closed.

His other eye move moved around the room, looking at all the strangers. His tiny hand clutched his mothers sleeve and waited for her to turn around so he didn't have to look at the scary strangers.

Haruhi turned her head, moving his face from her shoulder to the front of her. She used a side blanket to wipe his wet face before she turned to her husband and friends. "...His name's, Hiroshi."

Huni squealed. "He's so cute!"

"...He's fat."

Kaoru elbowed his brother. "Well I think he looks like me!"

Haruhi inhaled and stepped back as Kaoru walked up to her. He plucked the baby out of her hands and held him tightly to his own chest, petting his dark auburn hair that was messed up in a large tuff on top of his head.

Hiroshi, being a quiet child, didn't say anything as he was passed to the stranger. He laid his head against Kaoru's shirt and, being the baby lover he was, Kaoru happily obliged in holding him tighter.

Hikaru stared at the baby and could only feel the desire to find Katsu, and pound his face into the ground. He clenched his hand inside his pocket, staying quiet, watching his brother cuddle with the baby.

Kyouya went to lean against the wall, but as he noticed how unclean it looked, he decided against it and just stood up straight. A thought was swirling around all their head, but he was the only one who had enough guts to actually say it.

"Haruhi?"

Haruhi turned to her raven haired friend and fussed over Kaoru holding her baby, telling him how to hold him properly. "...Yes?"

"He's beautiful, but... who's the father?"

"..."

"..."

"...That's kind of a strange question by now, isn't it?"

Huni looked between Kaoru and Hiroshi and noticed the possible similarities. He gasped and looked over his shoulder towards his cousin. "Kao-chan is the daddy?!"

The room fell silent as Kaoru passed the baby back to Haruhi, suddenly disturbed.

Haruhi wanted to face palm, but she needed to hands to hold her son. "...No, Hikaru is."

Suddenly, all eyes were on Hikaru. He felt as though there was a spot light on him as he looked at Hiroshi. The ten month old showed no emotion other than pure contentment of finally being held. He stared at the baby's face with a soft scowl of confusion.

"But..." He mumbled, looking at the baby but not moving as Haruhi held him out for him to take. "...I don't get it."

Haruhi smiled but noticed his expression and her face fell. "...It's our baby."

His body felt weird when she said that. "But... are you sure? Because..."

"He's ten months old, Hikaru."

"And... you've been gone for two years, it can't be-"

"Eighteen months."

"Well that's still a long time!"

Haruhi pressed her lips together tightly. She pressed Hiroshi against her again, and the baby responded to that by just laying against her again. She tried to think of a logical excuse. "Well... he looks just like you..."

Hikaru looked at the baby, noticing that the baby's hair was darker than his, and also noticed how... round the baby was. He looked back up at his wife and raised his brow, as to prove his point.

Haruhi looked down, then back up at him, hesitating. "I uh... I was a month pregnant when I left that day for work."

Hikaru gasped.

She flustered. "Well I didn't know then, so-!"

"Didn't know!? Isn't that part of woman intuition? You're supposed to know! Had you known none of this would have happened."

"Wouldn't have happened? It was kind of inevitable."

"No, I wouldn't have let you go anywhere in the first place, had _I_ known. And I would have only known from you telling me. Which you didn't."

"I figured out that day. Maybe if you asked why it took me so long to get home, you'd know that I went to the hospital to find out. I was on my way home _to_ tell you, but I didn't-... I didn't get that far."

Hikaru stood in front of her, his mouth wide open.

He was about to say something, none of them could even guess what that thing would be, but there didn't get the chance to find out as there was a thump behind them all. Mori jumped at it first, being the most alert.

Katsu stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe. The same revolver Hikaru had seen Hibiki holding was in _his_ hand now.

It didn't matter how alert any of them were. There was a loud bang that pierced the ears of all of them. They all flinched, but having no time to shield their ears, their ears drums shook like glass.

Katsu had pointed it towards Hikaru, as he had a personal grudge towards him, but the bullet made its own path, and hit the closest red head that was in it's way.

It didn't hit, Hiroshi.

It didn't hit, Hikaru.

It hit, Kaoru.

Kaoru didn't expect someone to be standing there. And he didn't know what was going on until he heard the loud bang. But of course, that was too late to do anything and he felt something penetrate his side.

It all happened so fast. After the shot, no one moved, but when they did, Katsu was gone (he had ran after he was satisfied with the situation) and Kaoru was on his knees, clutching his side.

Hikaru's arm went limp and he almost dropped Hiroshi had it not been for Haruhi who took him back. Kyouya and Hikaru ran to his side. Mori and Huni, despite the warning look they received from Haruhi, ran out of the doorway.

"Kaoru." Hikaru exclaimed, grabbing his brother's shoulder. He placed his other hand over his that covered the wounded area, but as he pulled his hand away, he was horrified to see that his own twin's blood was stained on his palm.

Kaoru hissed, but the pain was too intense that he didn't try to from anything from his mouth. He tightened his teeth and clutched his hand against his side. The bullet had hit him from behind, so for him it was hard to put pressure on it. Hikau gasped as he collapsed against him.

"No, no, no, Kaoru, come on buddy." He whispered quietly to his little brother, tears threatening to fall. He tried to keep him calm as Kyouya ripped his jacket off, trying to find where he was hit.

Kaoru choked, gripping his side. "Hika..."

Hikaru grabbed his hand, feeling his hair, trying to comfort him " _What_?"

"Do me a favor..."

"What? What is it? Come on, stay with me, Kaoru."

"Ca-...call, Mokoto."

"...What?"

"Just do it."

Hikaru slowly nodded, detaching himself from his beloved inured brother. He didn't have his own phone so he dug through the pocket of Kaoru's red stained jacket Kyouya threw off of him and found his phone.

Kyouya yelled at Haruhi to call the ambulance, and she urgently obeyed, grabbing his phone he tossed to her.

They all tried. Really, they did. They tried so hard.

But Huni and Mori came back and said Katsu got away from them. Mokoto never answered her phone, and before the paramedics could even get to the house, Kaoru was unresponsive.

* * *

 **You may or may not hate me for this chapter too... but please, If you read this chapter, the next one is important. I apologize about this chapter. It's crap, and I re-wrote the last part three times, using different ideas and settings. Again, thank you for all the support. It means a lot to me. This story doesn't deserve all the nice things you guys have said about it. Thank you for reading and stay tuned for the next update!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Lips Locked**

* * *

There had never been a more dark and quiet day then that day. The former host club members hadn't prepared themselves so such a heartache. No one prepared themselves for it.

It had happened so fast. They couldn't have done anything more than what they had done. Everything, for a split second, was finally okay. They had gotten Haruhi back, they were introducing themselves to Hiroshi, a baby Haruhi was convinced was Hikaru, who they had just met. Everyone was together again.

Until Kaoru got hurt.

It was sudden. No one expected it to happen. In a twenty second period, there was a gun shot, Katsu managed to be too many steps ahead of Huni and Mori, and Kaoru was already loosing too much blood.

Haruhi had called the paramedics, but despite being fifteen minutes away from the only hospital in Yasano, no one had gotten to the house quick enough to help Kaoru while he was still conscious.

After the paramedics got there, they decided after talking to Kyouya, that I'd be better for him to be taken to the hospital associated with the Ootori's. He'd be given proper help for his injuries.

it had taken them half an hour by plane to fly to the hospital back in Tokyo, as taking a car would have taken too long. Kyouya had called for a private jet to be flown from Japan to Kyoto for the rest of them to take. Then had them fly to the same hospital Kaoru was taken to.

Overall, it had been a long, and crazy day that was finally ending, and turning to another from midnight. It was mostly stressful for Haruhi, who was worried about traveling on a plane without proper security for her baby, but it ended up fine for them.

It was nearing two in the morning, and everyone was tired and restless. An hour ago the doctors gave them the news about Kaoru, and it was news that they were both waiting for, yet dreaded.

 _"The bullet pierced him from behind, just below the liver," The doctor told them, in the calmest voice he could muster. With a solemn frown. "Which would have been a fetal hit, but fortunately it didn't. The shrapnel however had gone through his lower intestines, which was the cause for the rapid blood flow."_

Hikaru had nearly collapsed, but managed to keep himself up right so the doctor could continue.

 _"He's finished surgery, and he's stable. He'll need follow up surgeries, so I'm afraid his condition in the future can't be determined right now." He said, placing the papers back onto his clipboard. "He's been given medication and is still unconscious from the anesthesia. He'll wake up on his own time."_

 _"...He's okay?"_

 _"For now, yes."_

Hikaru's heart started beating normally since the doctor had said those words.

Tear were shed even before they were told anything. Everyone was sure Kaoru wouldn't make it. Hikaru especially. He had been with his brother since birth, and not once in his life had he ever had his own brother's blood on his hands.

It was on his shirt, after he had clung to his twin, tightly, telling him not to leave him. It was permanently inbeded into his mind. He truly thought his beloved twin brother, who had been there for him his whole life, would die.

And he was convinced that if he had. It would be his fault.

Even so, it was still his fault that he was hurt. Had he thought a little more of what he was doing, and acted less impulsively, Kaoru wouldn't be in the hospital. Kaoru wouldn't have almost died had he not tried to be a hero.

The minute he realized he wanted his wife back, he jumped at the first opportunity he got. He thought everything was going to be okay. He didn't think any of them would follow him.

His only question though, was why wasn't it ever him? Why was it constantly the people around him who got hurt?

Why wasn't it him who got hit?"

Hikaru turned to his side and stared at his wife who sat right beside him. She was leaning her head against the wall, as there was no headrest on the chair. Hiroshi was asleep in her arms. He wondered if her arms were numb from all the weight she had on top of her, but it didn't seem like the time to ask her that.

They sat on a bed waiting seat, so he scooted closer to her, wrapping his arm around her waist from behind. Her eyes fluttered open, and he guessed that she was close to falling asleep.

Haruhi looked up at him, confused by the sudden action but she was too tired to dwell on it. She merely looked down at her son before laying her temple against her husband's shoulder. He turned his head, not expecting that, but didn't complain. He pulled her a little closer, so he could lay his nose into her hair.

After for long without being able to touch her, for it being no unnatural to not have her against him, it now didn't feel normal. He had sent so much time without her, that being next to her didn't feel right.

It felt nice, and he loved it, but he'd have to get used to her again.

He wrapped his other arm around her, from in front, hugging her tightly, managing to squeeze her without disturbing the baby she held. He opened his eyes and looked down at Hiroshi's sleeping face. His eyes scrunched up and his nose curled. His raised his tiny chubby fist to rub his nose, but after a few moments, he put his hand back down and remained asleep, breathing in deeply before he got into another comfortable position in his mother's arms.

Haruhi again told him that the baby was his when he continued to deny it. His hair was dark auburn, almost brown, and looked like a fat dough boy. Haruhi had told him to do the math. That she was gone for little over eighteen months, and Hiroshi was ten months.

He had done the math. Woman were supposed to be pregnant for nine months before they'd have a baby. There was one month that wasn't accounted for. She had to have gotten pregnant a month after getting kidnapped.

Hikaru looked back down at the baby. Everyone said they looked exactly alike, but he was the only one who didn't see it.

He was sinking deep in thought and getting more comfortable with someone in his arms when a voice pulled him back to the cold reality.

"Poor Kao-chan... How are we gonna tell Moko-chan?"

Hikaru's eyes widened as he turned to the short blonde who sat two chairs down from him.

"...Shit. I forgot about her."

Haruhi stared at the sleeping baby in her arms before tilting her head up to look at her husband. "...Is she okay?"

Hikaru looked down at the floor, feeling her hand grip his fingers. "She won't be when she finds out what happened."

Huni looked over at them and pouted. His feet were finally able to touch the floor. "Kao-chan said he left Moko-chan at the store by herself cause he was in a hurry to follow Hika-chan."

"He left her alone in public?!"

Huni shook his head. "It was a long drive down to Yasano, and Kao-chan managed to call her while we were on our way there. He was making sure she made it home after he called a limp for her."

Hikaru made a face. "He's so stupid. Why did you guys follow me? I didn't ask you to. There was a reason why I didn't tell anyone."

Kyouya looked over at him, his angry eyes hidden behind his glasses. "And you're a jackass for going by yourself. Even if I told you not to. I told you it was dangerous. You should have turned around when I called you."

"And looked what happened." Hikaru threw his arm out towards the door of the recovery rooms. "If you thought it was so dangerous, why did _you_ guys come alone?"

"I had a squad following us. Who do you think arrested, Hibiki?"

"Send a squad then, but you guys didn't have to come. Especially, Kaoru."

"We were worried about you, Hikaru." Tamaki interrupted Kyouya as he opened his mouth. "You weren't answering any of our phone calls for hours and we got there before the police did. Had we waited for them, it would have been too late."

"Don't say it like everything's okay. Kaoru was almost killed."

"We didn't know that'd happen."

"Well it did! I didn't know that the minute I walk in the house I'd get hit in the head with a frying pan, but it still happened."

Haruhi pinched her lips together. "...It wasn't a frying pan. It was metal. And said I was sorry."

Hikaru huffed. "It doesn't matter what it was made out of, I have a bump nonetheless."

"I said I was sorry. I thought you were the guy who was gonna take my baby. Turns out you were the daddy of my baby... Funny how that works.'

He moved his arms away from her as Hiroshi fidgeted. He stared at the baby for a minute before laying his face in his hands.

Tamaki looked at him and lowered his eyes to his lap. "...It's okay. Everyone's tired and frustrated. It's been a long day. Mokoto will understand, she's not a five year old. No one forced Kaoru to go. He went on his own. It's no ones fault."

The room was silent after that. After a few minutes, Hiroshi settled back down and Huni's eyes watched a doctor walk passed them. He looked towards his cousin, but Mori was leaning against his chair with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. Most likely taking a nap.

Hikaru stretched his fingers into his hair, trying to breath smoothly. All he saw was red. He wouldn't be able to ever wear his jacket again. Every time he'd look at his clean hands, he saw Kaoru. His blood. Everything. He'd never be able to forgive himself if...

He stared at his hands as he clenched his fingers to his palms. "No...It's my fault."

Haruhi laid her hand on his leg. "Hika, no it's not. It's not like you told them to hurt him."

"No, Kyouya's right. I shouldn't have gone to that house. I should have waited. I wanted to go alone so I could make up for being such an ass... I guess this is karma."

She adjusted Hiroshi before leaning against Hikaru's shoulder. "Kaoru wouldn't blame you. You know that."

"It doesn't matter. It was so close..." His eyes fogged over. "Had he been standing one step towards the left, or if he was shot half an inch higher, Kaoru would be dead, I almost lost my brother and I'd have to explain to his pregnant wife that her husband wouldn't be coming home."

"The doctor said he was fine." Kyouya muttered, eyeing Hikaru with an irritated glint. "Kaoru's alive, we can't dwell on the 'what if's'."

"I shouldn't have gone."

Tamaki just shrugged. His voice still quiet. "If you hadn't, we wouldn't have done anything for a few days until we got people ready, and waited until the investigators were free. It wasn't all for nothing, Hikaru. You brought Haruhi back. Kaoru getting hurt at least wasn't in vein."

"And we got Hibiki arrested." Kyouya added. "This isn't ideal. Everyone would have preferred Kaoru not getting hurt, but this was really the only best out come we had."

"That man had a gun pointed at Haru-chan when we got there, He looked like he really wanted to shoot Haru-chan instead."

Hikaru's frown deepened, feeling Haruhi ease even closer to him. He looked at Hiroshi, again watching him sleep. "...I know, but-"

Tamaki shook his head. "Sometimes I thought that we had the worst of luck, until something like this happens. Kaoru's pretty lucky to be alive, but... lets appreciate that, not blame ourselves for something that didn't happen."

Hikaru didn't say anything.

Kyouya perked up. "Kaoru's still recovering from the anesthesia, but the doctor said we can still go in and see him. Maybe that will make you feel better."

Hikaru nodded, rubbing his fingers into his forehead. "...Just give me a minute."

* * *

Mokoto didn't wake up until later that day, around ten-thirty. She was having cramps and hadn't slept the night before because Kaoru hadn't called her. She truly wasn't feeling well, but one phone call made her forget all about it.

It wasn't something she wanted to hear while waiting for her husband to call.

 _"...Hikaru? What're you doing? Where's Kaoru?"_

 _His voice stalled. "...Mokoto, I have to tell you something."_

 _There was something in his tone that made her want to put the phone down. "W-..what? His he with you? Where did you go? Put Kaoru on the phone."_

 _"...Kaoru can't talk right now."_

 _"Why?"_

 _"There was an accident."_

 _She stared at the table she was sitting at and closed her eyes tightly, thinking that, that would actually help her beating nerves. "What accident? Where is he, Hikaru? What happened?"_

 _Hikaru sounded as though he was about to cry. "Kaoru got shot... He's in the hospital."_

Kaoru apparently wasn't the only one who got hurt recently. The whole waiting room was packed. The waiting chairs in the front lobby were all filled and the line was halfway to the door with people ready to talk to the receptionist at the desk.

Mokoto laid one of her hands on her budding stomach and practically pushed a stranger out of her way with her other. A woman squeaked as she was almost shoved to the floor from her force.

She made her way through all the people to be first seen at the desk. The receptionist just nodded towards her words at wanting to see her husband, and after giving her his name was given his room number and pushed another man out of the way to get to the elevator.

It didn't take her but two minutes to get passed the elevator and to find the room. She didn't mean to slam into the room, but she did, and she stood in the doorway completely horrified.

Hikaru, being one of the few people still in there, stood up, looking surprised. "...Mokoto."

She didn't see him. She just saw the bed that was in the middle of the room. Her husband laid there, unconscious. His beautiful auburn hair mussed and sprawled out on the pillow. Her heart thumped against the middle of her stomach and her mouth, she felt, would have fallen to the floor had so not covered it with her hands.

Hikaru looked at his brother, then towards his sister-in-law. "...Mokoto, I didn't know you'd be here this soon, He's-"

"Oh my god..." She barely managed, still in the open doorway. "Wha-...?" Her eyes stung, and blinking only made it worse.

He cringed, not knowing what to say. "...He looks worse than he is. He's stable since his surgery."

Even after being pregnant, and spending so much energy trying to get to the room, she surprisingly still had enough in her to run to her husband's bedside. She pushed Hikaru away from where he was standing and laid her hand on Kaoru's.

She pressed her other hand to his cheek. His soft skin was hot under her palm.

Having no patience, Mokoto's lips twitched and she whirled her head around, glaring at her brother-in-law as though she wanted to murder him.

"Why would you let this happen?" Was the only thing that came out of her mouth.

Hikaru flinched, clenching his jaw. "...It was an accident. He-... he was in the way."

Her dark eyes widened and her mouth went round in horror. " _You_ shot him?!"

"No! He-.. he was in the way of someone else. He wasn't supposed to have gotten hurt." He looked at his baby brother and his tone softened. "It was an accident. No one knew that other guy was even in the room."

Mokoto collapsed into the chair behind her. Now emotionally exhausted, but her hand still held on tight to Kaoru's. "...He told me he was going to be back."

He was quiet as she watched her rub her face, before leaning over the edge of the bed to pet his cheek with her fingers.

Hikaru noticed she was biting her cheek, trying to keep herself from crying, but she blinked constantly and he saw her eyes glazing over. "...He's going to be okay, he's just sleeping now, he-"

"It doesn't matter if he's going to be okay!" She exclaimed suddenly, turning to him. Shocked by her own outburst she turned back to her husband. "...What if he wasn't? He promised everything was going to be okay, and that he was going to be back. What if he wasn't okay? I called the hospital on my way down here after you told me. He almost died. What would I have done then?"

Hikaru just stood there. "I know, Mokoto... I'm sorry. Kaoru was just... in the wrong place at the wrong time."

She brought his hand to her face. She massaged her thumb into the back of his hand, as she tried to hold down the lump forming in her throat. "...Did he say anything? Before he..."

His shoulders tensed. "He was thinking of you the whole time. He told me to call you. I think he wanted to tell you something, but... you didn't answer. He collapsed before the paramedics even got there."

"..."

He cursed himself as she started crying.

Her shoulders shook as she grip Kaoru's hand tighter, pressing his knuckles to her forehead. "...I-... I wasn't near the phones when he called. I didn't think he would..."

He cross his arms, looking down at her, watching her rub her eyes with her sleeve, then running her fingertips through Kaoru's tangled bangs. "...Mokoto?"

She didn't say anything. She gave a soft, barely noticeable sniffle before tilting her face up towards him. Her cheeks wet with tears.

He hesitated. "...Mokoto, what'd they did to you when you were at that house?"

She wiped her face and looked away. "Nothing."

"...You don't have to lie about it, Kaoru's not listening. They told you something, didn't they?"

"No. They didn't do anything. Kaoru asked me this a bazillion times."

"Did you see a man named, Hibiki?"

"No one told me their names."

Hikaru sighed, sitting down on a chair beside her. "I'm not supposed to say anything either. It kinda makes you feel like you should isolate yourself in a basement so you don't accidentally blurt something out, doesn't it?"

Mokoto swallowed. Staring at Kaoru, she watched his face and could have sworn she saw him twitch, but didn't say anything about it as she swept his bangs to one side of his forehead. "They didn't do anything. They just talked... I tried to leave so that's when they tied me to the chair."

Hikaru scoffed. "Probably a norm for them."

She didn't want to know what he was talking about. "...They didn't tell me anything, as to why I was there. But They told me I was going to end up like Haruhi, that they had someone on their way to take me somewhere else. And said if I tried to talk to the police about what they were doing, they'd... do something drastic."

He nodded. "When they say drastic, they aren't being sarcastic. They're able to do things, and there's so many members of their organization that there's no way we can get away from them. Unless we moved to some isolated foreign country."

"They're dangerous people." She said quietly, brushing her palm over her husband's arm under the thin hospital blanket. "It's an Ideal situation to raise a baby in, isn't it?"

"...They knew you were pregnant."

"Yeah."

"They threatened you with that, didn't they?"

She nodded slowly.

"So you didn't tell, Kaoru."

"Kaoru threatened to beat up my co-worker when he started hitting on me. What would he do if I told him that the same people who kidnapped Haruhi, said that if I told anything to him, they'd hurt his baby? And they didn't plan on anyone finding me, so if anything did happen to it or me, no one would know."

Hikaru glanced over his shoulder to look at who was asleep on one of the chairs against the wall. "Yeah... But Kaoru isn't one to get revenge. I on the other hand want to kill every single one of them with my bear hands and want to hear them scream."

"...You didn't find Haruhi, did you?"

As Hikaru looked away from the floor, and towards the chairs that were lines up against the wall. Mokoto saw someone sleeping with a bundle in their arms. She saw blonde hair and she tilted her head in confusion, until she saw him smiling just a little.

She wiped her eye and snickered. "Bout time."

He nodded, leaning into his chair. "Kyouya went off on me before they all left here this morning. He's really adamant that I know that I've been so immature." He smirked non-humorously. "I blamed her for everything, when she was the victim the whole time. And while I was sulking in a bottle of wine, Haruhi was taking of a kid that I didn't even know I had."

She looked over at Haruhi who was sleeping with Hiroshi and turned back to Hikaru with a small grin across her wet cheeks. "She had a baby when she was gone?"

He gave no expression that she could read. "...She was pregnant when she was kidnapped. She wont tell me anything else though. I guess they have her lips sealed, too."

She forced her lips to be straight. "You were a daddy and you didn't even know it."

Hikaru didn't replay. She stroked the top of his head before turning back to her husband. She didn't like seeing him so hurt and destroyed. It wasn't right.

She scooted her chair closer to the bed and leaned over the edge, folding her arms over his chest. She moved closer and laid on top of him, letting his long smooth breaths soothe her. Letting her know he was okay.

Snuggling into his chest, moving on arm around his upper torso to hug him, she got more comfortable. She sniffled again, but she wiped her eyes before any more tears could form.

It wasn't until she looked up at his face again after feeling his breathing become irregular that she saw his lips curved into a smirk.

She gasped, and without thinking, she flicked him in the forehead.

"Ow."

"You're so mean!"

Hikaru covered his mouth with his fist. Biting his finger so not to laugh. Mokoto turned to him next and glared.

"You knew he wasn't sleeping!" She turned back to her husband, who was looking up at her, still smirking. "You were awake the whole time!"

Kaoru grinned, and winced in pain as she lifted herself off of him. "...Ow... I'm fragile."

Mokoto huffed, using the back of her fingers to slap his arm. "You're such a jerk. Don't do that! You could have just said something so I wasn't so upset!"

He smiled, wincing one eye close. "But you were so cute fussing over me... I felt special."

She turned to her brother-in-law who was snickering. "I hate you both."

Hikaru was still trying not to be to loud as he reached an arm over to pet her hair. "You're so cute and gullible."

She swatted at his hand and looked at her husband who had his arm on his side. "You didn't really get shot, did you? You just wanted me to talk. I want a divorce."

"No... I got shot, and it hurt when you laid on me."

" _Good_."

Kaoru snickered, but he hissed as a sharp twinge pinched at his flesh, and he moved his hand to his left side. "Sorry... but you started it."

Mokoto glared, turning around, looking at a medicine trey and looked at the syringe that was laying on top. "What's in that?"

Hikaru looked over at it and shrugged. "...I dunno."

"Is it a drug?"

"...Maybe."

"Give it to me. Imma stab it into his arm."

Kaoru tilted the other way, scoffing. "No, I don't want anymore shots. I'm sorry. I won't do it again... Your hands are soft though."

She turned to him again. Her eyes flared like tiny flames but after a moment, all was forgiven and she sighed, full of hopelessness. "...So you're okay?"

"I need a blood transplant, but... I guess so."

Before he could say anymore, Mokoto let out another big breath and flung herself over him again, except more gently this time. She nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck and let herself get comfortable, and if he wasn't, he didn't show it.

Kaoru, who had heard everything she had said, just laid there, letting her hug him. Where he was wounded was tender and hurt from the pressure, but he didn't complain about it.

He laid his hand on her head and stroked her hair, making sure she was comfortable.

"...I was going to tell you that I loved you."

She made a face into his hair but didn't move. "...What?"

"What I tried to call you... I was just going to tell you I loved you."

She didn't move her body, but lifted her head up to look at him. Her lips wiggled into a tiny smile. "...I would have told you the same thing."

"I know."

She laid back down, letting her husband caress her hair. She knew he'd want to talk about what she had said, later, but he was waiting for them to be alone before he'd say anything, or at least until she felt like it.

Kaoru leaned his nose into her hair and kissed wherever his lips ended up. Then he turned towards his brother. "...Are you going to sit there all day sulking or are you going to take your wife home?"

Hikaru looked up at his brother and gave him a confused grimace then turned to Haruhi who was still asleep, but Hiroshi's eyes were wide open as he laid against her chest. He stared at them for longer than it seemed before smirked widely.

"Yeah, I should do that."

* * *

Tamaki and Kyouya sat there in a small café downtown. They sat across from each other, drinking their coffee.

Tamaki tilted his head up, looking at his friend. "...You know, Kyouya... I have a strange feeling about this."

Kyouya looked at him and placed his phone into his jacket. "How so?"

"...To me, this whole thing feels just too easy. I feel like we got out of all that chaos on too good of a note, other than Kaoru getting hurt of course."

"It does seem that way, doesn't it?"

"It's like... I feels like we're not done."

Kyouya stared at him, then turned back to his half a cup of coffee. "As in?"

"We have Haruhi back, but... what was their reason for taking her away? And... What if they're even more un happy that we took her form _them_? They had to have had a reason."

"Hikaru said that when they had them both in that room, that Hibiki refused to hurt him, and only threatened to shoot Haruhi. So... I've thought since then, that this whole thing may be because of, Hikaru or something he did."

"...They were going to hurt Haruhi right in front of him."

"We might think about putting Haruhi, Mokoto and Hikaru in witness protection."

Tamaki's frowned deepened. "...I just feel like there's something else coming to us. Something worse than just kidnap this time."

Kyouya shrugged, grabbing his bag from the edge of the chair. "It's better if we don' think about It."


	23. Chapter 23

**For your Temporary Pleasure**

* * *

Haruhi, giving the window of the limo a dirty look, clung to Hiroshi who was gripping her shirt in his tiny hands. Her eyes watching the random things pass by the car as they drove down the long road to their house.

Their house, which she hadn't seen, or been inside of in nearly two years.

Since Kaoru had gotten hurt, she didn't have time to grab the baby's car-seat from Katsu's car, and all day the had been traveling in different vehicles without proper protection for him to ride in.

She titled her head to look at the baby's face, but all he did was stare back at his mother's expression with wide eyes. His chubby cheek smashed against her chest. She smirked and stroked his tuff of hair.

Sitting in the seat beside her, Hikaru, after being silent for almost the whole drive, turned to his wife and watched her pet Hiroshi as though he was a puppy looking for attention.

He fidgeted oddly in his seat and hesitantly scooted closer to her. Hiroshi looked at him with his beady eyes but didn't open his mouth.

He still looked confused, and wondered who that strange man was, and wondered why he was sitting so close to his mother.

Haruhi looked at her husband and her worried expression lightened. "..The only problem I have with limo's is that they attract so much attention and that they don't have seatbelts."

He scoffed, smirking. "Limo's weren't made for kids."

"And yet you rode in one your whole childhood."

"No one said a rich kid's life was safe."

Haruhi glanced back down at Hiroshi with another frown. "...Where'd your car go?"

Hikaru sighed. "I called someone to drive down to Kyoto to pick it up. It was at your boyfriend house."

"..."

"..."

"Katsu _wasn't_ my _boyfriend_."

"Oh well, I'm sorry. You didn't specified your relationship with him and I witnessed him trying to seduce you in the _kitchen_ so..."

Haruhi looked genuinely offended. "Doesn't mean he _is_ , or _was_ my boyfriend. He was a jerk."

Hikaru looked over at her, and arched his brow. "If he was such a jerk why didn't you try to leave?"

She opened her mouth, but just a breath of air came out. She held the baby tighter against her. "...I _did_ try to leave. A _couple_ of times..."

He looked at her and watched as she scooted away from him, moving closer to the window. He leaned his head against the head of the long seat and slowly looked back at her, but her face was turned. Hiroshi still stared at him. He stared at him until his small face scrunched up, and he sneezed.

Hikaru's shoulders lost all their tension. "...I'm not going to argue with you, I just-... It was weird that... he hit you and...you didn't do anything."

Haruhi swallowed, holding Hiroshi tighter as he started to wiggle out of her arms. "What would I have done?"

"I don't know... hit him _back_?"

Her lips tightened as she tried not to snort. "I think you did that for me."

"I'm serious. What? If I hadn't have been there you would have just taken it? What would have-..." He paused, as he suddenly came into realization. "...That wasn't the first time, was it?"

She hesitated, turning Hiroshi around after he was starting to become more anxious to get out of her embrace. "...For a long time, I thought that girls can pretty much handle themselves just as well as guys could in any situation, but... that's not true."

Hikaru looked at her, his brow furrowed. "And you're just now realizing that?"

"It wasn't Katsu who bothered me as much, but there was another man before him and with him I realized that guys are just so much stronger than girls are and there isn't a lot we can do."

"There was more than just, Katsu."

"There was two... before, Katsu." She ran her hand over her son's head as she looked at his pudgy features. "...His name was Keiichi, I only stayed with him for six months before going to, Katsu. Katsu was really nice compared to him."

Hikaru slowly scooted back over to her, this time not giving her any space to move away from him. "And the guy before him?"

"He was an old man. He was really sick most of the time so I he wasn't that bad to be around either."

Hiroshi gave out a howl that made them both flinch. He waved his arms around and threw himself into his mother's chest, making her gasp from the impact.

For the first time since seeing him, Hikaru laid his hand on the baby's small head. Hiroshi jerked his head back after being touched by the strange stranger and whined in distress.

Hikaru pulled his hand away. "...They never allowed you to leave, did they? Is that why Katsu's house that locked from the outside."

Haruhi slowly nodded. "...Katsu's wife passed away two years ago, and... I think he just wanted a family. I was supposed to go to someone else's house, after I spent six months with him, but he didn't want us to leave."

"...Katsu wasn't the one who kidnapped you, was he?"

"No."

"Who did then?"

Haruhi didn't reply. Hikaru took the hint and let his question die. He turned to Hiroshi and saw him stretching his arm out towards him. The baby opened his eyes wide and looked back at him, still not saying a thing.

Hikaru reached over and pinched his chubby hand between his fingers, making his squeak in amusement. The baby jerked his hand back and threw his back against Haruhi's chest again.

She sighed, flipping him around like he was so he was facing her. "...You're too big to do that."

Haruhi turned and frowned at her husband who looked to be trying not to laugh. Hiroshi squealed and waved his arms out again leaning back, which made Haruhi almost drop him.

Hikaru pulled his arms around Haruhi's shoulders (which was easy without seatbelts) and pulled her close. "...Can I ask one more question?"

Haruhi just shrugged. "Depends."

"...Why is your hair a different color?"

"Keiichi didn't like brunettes."

He made a face as he lifted a small lock of her blonde hair with his fingers. "...So you bleached your hair?"

"Well it's not like it was my idea."

"Ah, well... you do know your roots are showing, quite a bit, right?"

Her brow twitched. "...I may have noticed."

"...It looks weird."

"I know..."

"Like... you do know you have to keep bleaching it, more than once, right? Cause it looks kind of... _white_ , not blonde."

"..."

"And with the brown, you look some kind of super villain sidekick."

"Shut up, Hikaru."

* * *

"...Ow."

"Stop moving."

"I'm not moving. I'm just breathing."

"Don't breathe then."

Kaoru turned his head to look at his wife with an odd, offended expression. "Be nice. I'm injured."

Mokoto frowned. "You're also a jerk."

"I already said I was sorry." He whined, pressing the back of his head into the pillow of the hospital bed he was bedridden to. "I was just resting my eyes when you walked in, so it's not like I was pretending to sleep. I just didn't open my eyes, or say anything."

"I'm not talking about that." She grumbled, gripping the magazine she was reading that was presented to her from the hospital. It was outdated but it entertained her. "I'm talking about you leaving me by myself at the store, which, _who does that_? I'm pregnant. Had I been mugged while you were gone, you would have been even more sorry."

"...I know. I need-"

"You would have been _really_ sorry, cause you left all your money with me. You would have been sorry _and_ broke."

Kaoru sighed deeply, holding a hand to his side. "I know. But you know I needed to go."

"No you didn't."

"Hikaru needed me."

"No he didn't. Not all five of you needed to go." She put the book down in her lap and threw her arm out towards his side. "You were just in the way. _Literally_."

His expression hardened. "He's my brother."

She pointed at her stomach. "And _this_ is your baby. Both of which, don't have a fully developed brain, so I don't see how you could pick between the twin of them."

He looked away from her and stared at the ceiling. He lowered his eyelids hopelessly. He wanted to say something else, but the pain in his back and side caused a painful twinge as he took too deep of a breath.

Mokoto collapsed into her chair and closed the book she held. She saw no further want for it so she flung it on the table that was beside her. She didn't want to be mad at him, but she couldn't help it. She just needed him to know that his brother wasn't the only one in this life anymore.

"Kaoru..." Her voice was softer. "...Hikaru's a grown man. He's married and he has his own baby. You don't have to take care of him like you used to anymore."

Kaoru wanted to look at her, but the burning pain in his flesh made him close his eyes tightly.

"...I know," he repeated, clutching his side. "He's my brother nonetheless. Regardless of how old he is."

"It doesn't matter how old he is." She grabbed the arms of her chair and pulled it closer to the bedside. "He could be twenty years older than you, or vise-versa, but that's not my point. He shouldn't be your main priority anymore."

"It never bothered you before."

That was before you almost died doing something stupid for him."

"It wasn't stupid." Kaoru grumbled in annoyance. "I went to make sure he wouldn't get hurt."

"Well look at the dummy who's in the hospital bed instead... _dummy_."

"I don't care. If I wasn't there someone else would have gotten hurt. I prefer me being here instead of, Hikaru."

"Well I don't!"

Kaoru flinched. He gripped the blanket between his fingers as he slowly turned to his wife. Her dark eyes glazed with a thin layer of pre-tears.

"Moko..."

"I don't care if he's your brother. He was stupid and rushed into things and you forced yourself into his business. Just because you're twins doesn't mean you have to do everything together anymore. Things aren't like they used to be." Mayuki hesitated. "...Sure he probably appreciates that you were there, but he wanted to do it by himself he didn't ask you to go."

"I wanted to make sure he was okay, I didn't think anyone was going to get hurt from going there."

"But you did and had things been just slightly different, you would have died and what do you think I would have done? Raised your baby by myself? was your brother the only thing you were thinking about?"

He couldn't believe he was getting chewed out by his wife...

"No, Mokoto... I-... I thought about it, which was why I didn't want to go, but I didn't want Hikaru going by himself." He closed his eyes tightly again. "I didn't want to leave you alone either but-... so that's why I called my chauffeur to take you home. I though that after driving down there, that's I'd just come right back. That's why I told you-"

"You didn't _tell_ me, you _promised_ , which has caused me to have trust issues... thanks for that."

Had he not been laying down already, he would have threw his head back. "Mokoto-"

She didn't let him continue. "And if you had died, I just want you to know, that just out of spite of your death, after promising to me that everything was going to be okay, and that you were going to come back, that I would have married _another_ millionaire to raise your baby."

"...I just-"

"And don't think, that once you get out of the hospital that you'll get special treatment from me missing you so much, because I'm still mad at you. "

He didn't try to say anything else, and he laid there motionless and silent. Mostly because it hurt to move and breathe. Laying his hand on his side he contemplated on ringing in a doctor to ask if he could be doped up with more pain medication, but his mind went blank of all those thoughts as he heard his wife sniffling.

Kaoru turned to look at her, and watched as he laid her head down on her arms.

He laid his other hand on her head. "...I'm sorry."

Mokoto sniffled, pressing her forehead to her arms pillowed beneath her. "...I know."

"...Would you really remarry a millionaire if I died?"

"No..."

He smirked, petting her hair. "I didn't think so."

She hesitated, inhaling shakily. "...I'm just frustrated. I can't relax."

"I know. The worst is over so you don't have to worry about that anymore. Stress is bad for babies." He poked her side with his finger.

"It's not the one stressing out." She raised her head and used the ball of her palm to wipe her face. "And I'm a psychologist I'm not the one who's supposed to be stressing out either."

He looked at her for a few moments, waiting for her to finish clearing her tears. Once she was through and she looked at him with an odd expression (most likely wondering why he was looking at her), he opened his arms for her to crawl into.

And she didn't hesitate to do so.

She crawled up into the bed, careful not to aggravate his injury. She settled down and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, allowing her to get closer if she wanted to.

He kissed her head while she laid down on his arms and chest. She gripped the blanket that was over his and pressed her face against the crook of his arm.

He tried not to show that he was in pain as he held her tight. His hand inching close to her stomach. "...You know I was thinking about you guys the whole time."

She shrugged in his embrace. "You probably were..."

"Am I forgiven?"

"...Never almost leave me, ever again."

"I won't."

"Then maybe."

She tilted her face up and laid a tiny kiss on his lips before wiggling back down and getting comfortable. He noticed that she wasn't going to say anything else and started stroking her hair again.

"I love you."

She frowned. "I love you, too."

"It's okay. We won't be here for long. We can go home in a little while and we can forget all about this."

"Yeah... maybe."

* * *

It didn't take but a half an hour to get to their home from the hospital. Haruhi, still holding Hiroshi close to her chest, felt Hikaru grip her hand tightly in his. He was anxious about something and had practically pulled her out of the car and half drug her and the baby across the long lawn and up to the large house.

Their, Hikaru continued to remind himself, house. It wasn't just his like he felt it was for those long months he had to live without her. It was theirs and he didn't plan on ever letting her go anywhere else ever again.

His words he had spoken to himself earlier really were true. _You never really understand how important that someone or someone is, until you lose them._

How many of those little special moments that really only last for a few seconds had he lost over the eighteen months he was alone? How many memories could they have had together? So many holidays and special occasions they could have spent with each others.

So many hugs and small random kisses. Innocent and cherishable times they didn't know they'd have and never will have. More importantly, the birth of they first baby boy.

The whole car ride home Hikaru had thought about not being there, and having his baby around men who weren't him. Men who didn't treat him like they should have.

But mostly, because someone (god help them once he figured out who exactly) took her away from him, he could be there to help his own wife when he should have been there the most.

Him. Not some old guy, not Keiichi, not Katsu, not Hibiki. He needed to be there. God only knew how long it was going to take him to forget about the guilt of knowing his wife had to take care of herself and their baby while in a house full of strangers for so long.

He needed to forget about it now, for the sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach wasn't something he wanted to live with for the rest of his life.

Hikaru looked down to his side and stared at the top of his wife's head. The reason why someone would dare to bleach her beautiful brown hair, blonde, was beyond his comprehension.

He decided to ignore his thoughts as he entwined their fingers himself. Haruhi, who seemed to be in a daze, glanced up at him and smiled. Her cheek, for the first time in a while, were flushed pink. He didn't touch her, he just looked away from her and looked at Hiroshi.

The baby didn't seem to know what was going on. He looked up at the strange man who was holding his mothers hand and squealed, throwing himself backwards, almost out of Haruhi's arms. Afraid of dropping him, she panicked and leaned forward, but Hikaru grabbed the back of the baby's head and eased him back up.

Haruhi scoffed, frowning at the baby. "...He isn't used to you yet."

"Well he'll have plenty of time to get his priorities straightened out." He smirked pinching her cheek. "Cause neither of you are going anywhere any time soon."

Haruhi's smile faded slightly as she looked away. "...That sounds nice."

They walked into the house. The main entry hall was so large and practically empty that their footsteps echoed. It was nice, Haruhi thought, as she looked around, letting the familiarities sink in, it felt weird to be there, but it also felt like home.

It was nice... but she felt as though she didn't belong.

They were inside only for a few minutes as they stood there idly before a few hushed voices were heard around all corners of the walls. There was loud footsteps and doors slamming shut. Haruhi turned around and there was a face right in front of her, _grinning_ a her.

"Misses Hitachiin!"

And another face.

"Misses Hitachiin you're home!"

And another one.

"Misses Hitachiin, we've missed you so much!"

Thus, the whole household that managed the housekeeping greeted Haruhi back with tears and smiles. The maids, who she associated with quite a lot and had grown nice, personal bonds with each of them in the last four years, welcomed her home.

Because they had, almost as much as Hikaru, missed her, and there wasn't a day they didn't wish she'd come back.

The eldest maid in the house, who was still quite crossed with Hikaru, stepped up to her and wrapped her long strong arms around the once brunette and squeezed her so tight Hiroshi screamed for oxygen.

The maids turned to the baby in Haruhi arms. They gasped in shock as soon as they realized it wasn't a loaf of bread.

"You have a baby?!"

"Oh, it's so cute, misses Hitachiin!"

"Is it yours? Who the daddy?"

"Can I hold it?"

Hikaru looked down at his side again, and to his displeased nerves, Haruhi was no longer there, and was instead, surrounded by the servants and in the middle of their large crowed circle, still hugging and sobbing over her homecoming.

"Oh misses Hitachiin, you would not believe what has been going on." One the of younger maids groaned, grabbing Haruhi's free hand. "The household wasn't the same without you!"

"Never mind the household," Another one huffed, reaching her arms out towards Hiroshi until Haruhi let her have him. "Mister Hitachiin was more of a wreak than a shattered tea cup."

Hikaru clicked his tongue, scratching the floor with his shoe. "I wasn't a _total_... _wreak_."

"He's being sarcastic. I've never seen a person so confused with life." The elder one said, rolling her eyes towards her boss who gave her a dirty look. "Honestly, you really kept him in check."

"Alright, alright" Hikaru flapped his wrist. "Don't you have floors to scrub?"

"They're all done," one of them hummed. "We wanted it to be just as clean as it was when you left, Misses Hitachiin."

"Oh," Haruhi mumbled, furrowing her brow. "You didn't have to. I could have-"

"We know."

"That's why we did it before you got home."

"From all the complaining Mister Hitachiin has done, I'm sure he'd want you all to himself without any distractions anyway." One of them winked, smirking towards Hikaru's. He merely shooed her away.

"Oh!" She clapped her hands together, making Hiroshi jump slightly as he was in another maid's arms. "Your father called earlier today to check on Mister Hitachiin, I'm sure he'd like to see you, too!"

"And the baby!"

"Oh he's so cute. I want to pinch his pudgy little cheeks all day!"

"What's his name?"

Haruhi opened her mouth to reply, but any words that were about to come out of her mouth were cut off as the other maids started talking over each other again, fawning over the baby. Hiroshi held his arms out for his mother to take him but eventually he got accustomed to all the attention.

She fidgeted oddly on her feet, anxious watching Hiroshi being passed from one maid to another. She tried to speak up again, but she barely breathed as a hand took hers and pulled her backwards, away from the woman.

The moment she turned around, Hikaru wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her face into his chest. She inhaled sharply and pressed her hands against him.

She strained, feeling his arms tighten. "Hika-"

"Shh." He hushed her, holding her wrists to his torso. "It's okay, don't worry about it. Just... hold still."

Haruhi's expression hardened. She wanted to pull away, to make sure Hiroshi actually liked being held by strangers, but also because of a nagging, aching feeling in her stomach. A plain and obvious feeling that, if it could speak, would tell her that she wasn't supposed to be around him. That being next to him, looking at him... feeling him, was bad.

Being home was bad, and she shouldn't be there.

But his words, sounding as thought he could read her mind, of telling her not to worry about it, calmed her and finally she eased into his embrace. Letting him hold her.

Hikaru pressed his nose into her hair as he held her tighter. He tried to hold her even tighter, being sure that she wouldn't be able to get away from him if she tried, and tangled his fingers in her hair.

Her hair, like it used to be, didn't smell clean and fresh with a tiny hint of strawberries. She didn't smell like anything and from it being bleached it didn't feel as soft. She trembled in his arms as it was as though he was holding a stranger.

She didn't feel like the Haruhi he had been with since college. She was different, and he wanted to know why but didn't want to ask.

Perhaps he just... fell out of love with her.

Luckily, before he could think anymore about it, a voice came up from behind them and disturbed his thoughts.

"Mister Hitachiin," a quiet maid mumbled politely, holding the home phone to her chest. "Miss Shimizu is on the phone. She's asking if you were home and I said you were, so she wants to talk to you."

Hikaru made a face, standing up straighter, holding Haruhi out a little. "...That's Kagami."

"Yes, Sir."

"What's she calling for?"

"Well she came over last night when we were still here and she was concerned as to why you didn't come home last night."

He sighed after receiving a strange glance from Haruhi. "We were at the hospital."

"I told her that, and she was worried, wondering if you had another... _incident_."

Hikaru rolled his eyes, brining Haruhi close again, even against her resistance. "Tell her I'm fine, but I'm too busy to talk."

The maid hesitated, looking at the couple. "...She said she wants to come over to see if you're okay."

"Tell her I won't be home."

The maid, having nothing else to say, nodded her head and walked away, pressing the phone to her face, telling the woman on the phone exactly what she was told to say. Hikaru looked away from her once she was out of sight and looked back down at his wife.

Haruhi looked at him with concern, and shrugged off his arms as he tried to bring her close to him again.

"What was that about?" She muttered, her brow narrowed down near her eyes. "What kind of _incident_?"

He cursed all humanity for going against him. "It's nothing, not serious or anything. It's not important. Let's just-"

Another maid, who was holding Hiroshi spoke up with a scowl on her face. "Mister Hitachiin has a drinking problem."

"What?!"

"No I don't! It was-... a one tome thing, geez. All of you, just go sweep the patio or something."

Haruhi looked utterly horrified. "When were you going to tell me?"

"Uh... never? I told you it's not important."

"It sounds important..."

He clenched his hand and rubbed his fingers together. Her expression of worry made him forget about being mad at the maids and after a moment, his tone softened. "...I'll... We'll talk about it later."

"Or we could talk about it now while we're on topic?"

"Says the one who wont say a thing about anything that's happed to her in the last eighteen months. So no..." He turned away, his arms folded quite childishly. "We'll talk about when I'm ready."

Haruhi huffed, her cheeks now red. "Fine, but who's Kagami?"

"A meaningless, female acquaintance."

"Oh..."

He sighed, dropping his arms to his side. He turned back towards her. His expression showed that he had given up. "...I'm sorry."

"No, I guess it isn't my business. I Shouldn't have asked."

"Of course it's your business. I'm just... not particularly proud of some things, so I don't want to talk about it."

"...I'm not proud of the things have happened, but they didn't threaten me if I say any of it. I just... don't want to talk about it either."

Looking up, he turned to see if the maids were eavesdropping. They had taken Hiroshi into the kitchen (most likely to try and feed him for their own enjoyment) so they were in the hallway alone.

Haruhi looked around, wondering where her son went, but he didn't give her a chance to ask, as he grabbed her hand, entwining their fingers together comfortably like lace. She gripped his fingers back, just as he did, until he started dragging her into the other hallway.

"Where are we going?"

He smirked. "Don't think I'm taking you to dinner looking like a super villain sidekick."

"...Huh?"

"We're going to dinner."

She grinned. "You own me that, don't you?"

"Except the reservation is probably expired, but that's okay. It was only for a two seated table anyway."

"...Eh?"

"We're taking the dough boy with us."

"...He isn't fat!"

"Please, you cannot look that kid in the eye and tell me he's not the least bit _chubby_."

"..."

"..."

"...You're just being mean."

* * *

 **You can ignore this chapter if you'd like. It's just a filler. Quite boring actually. Took me forever to write because it was so eventless. Expect a new chapter soon! And I promise with an evil laugh that it will be more excited, if not, interesting, and if not that, hopefully entertaining. Please stay tuned for the next update. I love you all!**


	24. Chapter 24

**A Wrong Turn**

* * *

It was dark now, rain lightly sprinkled, adding darker spots on the ground and the patio, and everywhere else it fell. Though the sky was still clear, with no signs of storm clouds.

The wind blew almost silently, causing the trees to brush against the farthest window on the west wing of the house. They had given the maids leave, and their mini mansion was nearly empty and almost deathly silent.

It didn't take the couple long to realize that they didn't have any supplies for babies at their house, and Haruhi didn't bring anything with her. Immediately before they found a problem she had sent the maids to the store to buy a list long of things, and didn't let herself relax until she had it.

They really hadn't relaxed the rest of the day. Hiroshi had kept them busy when he was awake, Hikaru was answering important calls all day (also ignoring not so important ones), Haruhi was also on the phone constantly, talking with relatives of Hikaru, and her father, and just out of curiosity, she had called her old firm to talk with her old co-workers.

Yazuha, after talking with Haruhi over the phone had decided without a thought that there'd be a homecoming party, and Haruhi wasn't sure how she felt about it, but she didn't feel like she should have any say in it.

Now their day was finally over, and as peaceful as it was (the most peaceful day Hikaru had had in a long time) It was still long and they were exhausted. Now with it being near eleven o-clock, Hiroshi was asleep in the middle of their bed (since they didn't have a crib yet) and Hikaru was sitting next to him alone.

Watching Hiroshi's small face, with his cheek smashed against the mattress Hikaru still had trouble naming things about him that were similar to himself. His face was small and chubby, his hair was a dark auburn, almost brown, and his eyes were darker, but maybe it was because he was just so much smaller than he was.

The small boy breathed lightly from his parted lips as he laid on his side. His tiny hand laid on the other with the blanket half way over his torso. Hikaru stared at him for so long that more time had passed than he thought.

The bathroom door gave a quiet creak and it was opened and Haruhi gave a large sigh as she leaned against it after shutting it. Her forehead was sprinkled with water droplets as her hair was still soaked from her shower she just had.

Hikaru was still looking at the baby when she got out, and when he finally turned to look at her, she flopped down on the bed beside him with a lage gasp and stuffed her face into her arms.

He looked down and scooted away from her. "Nice shower?"

She whined, laying on her stomach. "...My back is sore now."

"What for?"

"The water pressure is so hard here... I'm not used to it."

He snorted, pulling his legs closer to himself, sitting Indian-style. Then, as he thought about it, his expression turned to disgust. "Did you not shower for the whole time you were gone...?"

"No, I-"

"Oh god, Haruhi!"

Haruhi tilted her head up, frowning. "No. I took baths, not showers."

Hikaru looked away. "Oh."

She rolled her eyes, crawling more onto the bed, before laying down gently beside Hiroshi who was still sleeping. "...The water pressure made my back sore, and it was hot. But it was nice not being rushed."

He looked down at her with an arched brow. He watched as she moved her fingers gently over the baby's back. "...You could have turned it colder."

"...I may or may not have sort a forgot how to use it."

He suppressed a laugh and leaned against the pillows. "Next time take a bath."

She shrugged, folding her arms under her head for her own pillow. "I wanted to be quick though, I didn't want Hiro waking up while I was in the bathroom."

"...You were too quick apparently. You didn't dry your hair." He fingered the top of her head lightly. When he pulled his hand away his palm was damp. "I have a hair dryer."

"I know but that makes noise and I didn't want to wake him up, he gets crabby and he likes to be comforted by eating and I want to try and-"

"Wait, dough boy likes to be comforted by eating? Is he upset all the time because Haruhi, look at him. Obviously he's not a very happy kid or maybe you're just a sucker."

Haruhi pouted, looking at Hiroshi. "...Probably both." Then her expression lightened. "But I bet he'll be happier here. He'll be spoiled with toys and have a nice room."

Hikaru was quiet. Looking at her now, Haruhi took a deep breath and rolled over on her side to be flush against the baby "Why wasn't he happy before? He's a baby. They're carefree."

"Katsu wasn't exactly the ideal father figure, and he's the only male Hiroshi's was really around other than Keiichi, but he was only an infant when we were with him."

His shoulders dropped. He gripped the blanket between his fingers and looked back down at the baby again. The bed shifted when both adults moved and Hiroshi tipped to one side.

The sudden movement while sleeping peacefully startled the small boy and he jolted upwards. Haruhi flinched as she wasn't expecting him to move. Hikaru scooted away from him to give the baby space, but then he began to whimper.

His sobs were low and feeble, and sounded as though he was still sleeping, but even so, Haruhi sat up and reached her arms out for him. Hikaru watched in silence as she brought him up and held on to him, holding his small body close to her chest.

She kissed his head before looking up at her husband after seeing his soft gentle countenance. "...He's still sleeping. Do you want to hold him?"

Hikaru chuckled, leaning into the pillows again, getting more comfortable. "I'm good."

"Come on, you know you want to."

"He looks heavy."

Haruhi, with her son still in her arms, sat up straighter and managed to scoot up to the pillow to sit next to him. She nudged Hikaru's shoulder until he looked down at her. Once he turned she held Hiroshi outwards to him.

He laid his hand on his head but didn't put any effort to take him. "It'd wake him up."

"No it wont. He likes being held."

Hikaru still didn't move. He leaned into his pillows and pulled his hand away. Haruhi leaned into his side and tried to get him to take him again. "He won't bite."

"...I don't know how."

"...How what?" Haruhi looked down at the baby, then towards his arms. Her mouth opened as she finally got what he meant by 'not knowing how' and tried not to laugh. "...I guess not."

His brow sloped as he saw her smirking. He get to move away when she held Hiroshi with one hand and tugged at his wrist with the other.

"Better late than never."

Instantly she raised herself on her knees and eased into him, laying the baby into his arms. She sat back down when she adjusted his arm so he was holding his head.

Hikaru made a face against the baby's weight. "I was wondering why your biceps looked more muscular. Just holding him is a workout."

"Shut up, you can barely notice. And he isn't that chubby." Haruhi's voice hitched in defense, nudging him in the arm with her elbow. "He must have gotten it from your side of he family anyway."

"That or you just like to feed him too much."

Haruhi puckered her lips and turned away. "He likes peanut butter..."

Hikaru snickered, leaning closer to her shoulder. She didn't have to look at him to know what he wanted. Instantly she laid her head against his arm and tried to get comfortable. Her heart, has it had been since earlier that day, was still beating hard against her chest, so hard her stomach ached. She felt his free arm move around her shoulders, pulling her closer.

She held herself so tight in a hug that her arms shook. Obviously she had been hiding what was wrong so well until then. Now, it bothered her. Looking at her husband hold their baby for the first time. The baby he hadn't been there for to take care of until that day.

Everything was so perfect and peaceful. Unlike what it had been like for her for the last eighteen months. Then she knew that it couldn't get any worse for her, but now, nothing was wrong. She was happy and Hiroshi had a dad who wouldn't do anything to hurt either of them.

Nothing was wrong, and that's what scared her.

Nothing was wrong before, and in a blink of an eye it was gone. What was stopping those people from taking it away from her again?

What was Katsu going to do? What was he doing now?

What was his boss going to do?

Hikaru looked down at her as she pressed her face into the crook of his arm, hiding her face. He turned to Hiorshi who was trying to stretching out against him and son he decided to just put him back down.

Haruhi sat up straight, wiping her cheek as she watched Hikaru put the baby down on the bed at his side, propping his head on the pillow. She was about to tell him that babies shouldn't lay on pillows when she stopped herself as he turned to her again, pushing her shoulder.

"What's the matter now? Why're you crying?"

She looked down, rubbing her eye. "Nothing... It's been a long day. I'm tired."

Hikaru furrowed his brow sympathetically and snaked his arms around her again, pulling her flush against him, in a tight hold. "Yeah it has been, but it's something else."

"How'd you know?"

"We've been together for a long time, Haruhi. You avoid eye-contact with me because you know that I can tell when you're lying."

"It's nothing, Hikaru."

"This is your first night home in a long time, of course there's something wrong. Is it uncomfortable here?"

Haruhi wiggled in his arms, feeling his body head against her cheek. "No. I have to get used to it, but it isn't uncomfortable. I never wanted to leave here in the first place."

"I know you didn't. And I'm sorry that I thought you did."

"I just missed you a lot and I don't know what to do..." She hesitated, slowly moving her arm around his clothed torso. "I'm not there anymore but I feel like I still miss you."

He took a deep breath and laid his nose into her hair. It was still damp and was still the ugly blonde color, but he didn't care. "Is this a 'too good to be true' situation?"

She nodded slightly.

"It's okay, whoever those people were I won't let them take you away again."

"I know." She snuggling up closer to him, as she felt his arms hold her tighter and tighter, so tight she arched her back against his forearms. "...I missed you though... a lot."

Hikaru pinched his lips together, sinking into the bed more, cupping his body more around her, feeling her more. "I missed you so much... Can I tell you something?"

She merely hummed in response.

"...I can't live without you."

Haruhi tilted her face up. "...You did pretty well for as long as I was gone. By the end of the second month you should have been dead then."

Hikaru nodded only slightly. "...I felt like I did. Had you been gone a little longer I probably would be."

She looked hurt. Not because it sounded as though it was her fault, but because her heart hurt for him. His tone sounded hurt, and full of deep emotion. She wanted to cry. Instead, feeling in the moment, she raised herself up a little out of his arms and pressed her hand to his chest.

As her lips neared his, Hikaru inhaled sharply and shifted his face, grasping her chin in his fingers. They stayed still, and his lips brushed against her cheek instead.

Moments later after letting her go, it became pitch black as he reached for the lamp.

"It's near midnight." He spoke softly, tangling his fingers in her hair behind her ear, he pulled her face closer to his again and kissed her forehead. "I missed you, Haruhi... Good night."

Haruhi laid there beside him, with her head on his chest, feeling extremely rejected.

* * *

"I'm a grandpa and I didn't even know!

"You didn't mention on the phone, I literally asked you if you had anything exciting to say! I'm older than I thought!"

"I uh... I forgot. It didn't come up."

"And to think! Of course you never told me anything before, but Haruhi! I at least thought that you'd tell your own daddy you had a baby!"

"And it's not like you can forget you had one enough not to mention it! The stretch marks never go away!"

Haruhi sat on the couch silently with her knees pressed together tightly. Her father was on one side of her, with her mother-in-law on the other. She clenched her hands into fists in her lap.

"... Alright geez, calm down grandparentzillas," Hikaru rolled his eyes, throwing his arm out to the floor where Hiorshi was sitting down, with his sock in his mouth. "Crowd dough boy instead of bothering her about it."

Yazuha turned to Haruhi with her eyebrows tilted. "Who's the daddy?"

Haruhi noticed the strange look Hikaru gave his mother before answering. "I told you, Hikaru is."

"I know darling, but let's speak realistically. Yes Hikaru will be the daddy now, but who-"

"No... Hikaru's the biological father, Yazuha."

"...That's confusing."

"I know, but Hiroshi's ten months old and I was one month pregnant before... you know, so it... kind of makes sense."

Ryoji looked down at his grandson on the floor and got down and crawled up to him. The baby looked up at him and bit, what little teeth he had, into the sock in his mouth, chewing on it harder. "You should have told me so I could have picked up some toys for him. He doesn't have any."

Hikaru shrugged. "Well we didn't have babies before, so we weren't prepared."

"Should have been."

"We'll get some eventually, I just brought him here yesterday." Haruhi sighed and leaned into the couch. "He doesn't mind. He's just a baby anyway, he's more worried about sleeping and eating."

"Of course he is."

"Shut up, he's healthy, not fat."

"Or no, Haruhi. He's _really_ healthy."

Haruhi glared at her husband before slumping against the couch, having Yazuha inch closer to her, clutching her forearm. "Tamaki already talked about spoiling him. I'm sure the next time we see him he'll give him enough stuff to fill a whole room."

Yazuha nodded, then her expression tightened. "But I don't want to be called grandmother. He can call me Ma'am, or Yazu. He can call me Auntie Yazu if he wants. I'm fine with being Auntie."

Hikaru scoffed un humorously. "Yeah, make your only grandson call you auntie. Smooth mom."

"Grandma sounds too old."

Ryoji looked up, now clutching Hiroshi tightly. "I'll be grandpa. Or Papa, or granddaddy. He's my only grandson. I'm going to embrace it to the fullest."

Hiroshi stuck half his fist into his mouth and sucked his thumb. Not interested in anything they were saying.

Yazuha just tipped her shoulders. "I look too young to be a grandma. Thought I'd be one sooner though. I was married for half a year before I found out I was having you two dummies."

Hikaru clicked his tongue. "Sorry for the disappointment. I thought she was infertile."

Haruhi looked away, flustered with her lips puckered into a scowl. "Apparently not cause we made one."

"Okay, okay. Enough dirty talk." Ryoji scolded, pressing Hiroshi's face to his chest. "There's a baby in the room."

"Well it's a shame really," The middle aged woman huffed, laying her cheek on her hand as she stared at Haruhi's flat stomach, hidden under one of Hikaru's sweatshirts. "When you'd get pregnant, I was going to make a maternity line, and have you be one of my main models."

"You can still make a maternity line."

"But I need a relative to be pregnant, or it wouldn't make sense for me to open a new line like that for no reason. If a celebrity is pregnant then other pregnant people will want to dress like them. That's how business works my dear."

Haruhi hugged herself comfortably. "It'll be awhile before we plan something like that again. I'll let Hiroshi be pampered for being the only baby around, for a while until Kaoru and Mayuki have theirs."

Yazuha flapped what she said, away with her hand, shaking her head dismissively. "No, Kaoru and Mayuki wont have kids for awhile. Kaoru's too innocent."

Hikaru looked at his mother as though she had lived under a rock for the past five months. "Mom... Mayuki's almost six months pregnant now."

"...What?!"

"Oh... I guess you were in Tahiti when they told everybody..."

"I just got off the plane this morning! I came straight here to see Haruhi! No one told me even over the phone!"

"...Oh, well she is. Just so you know."

Yazuha looked shocked. "...Oh my gosh. I'm going to be a double granny and I didn't even know that."

"It's fine mom. Everyone's been too busy to really talk recently."

"Still, you should have told me."

"They probably planned on it, but then Kaoru got hurt and they-"

"Why? What happened to Kaoru?"

Hikaru mouth opened slightly, but no words came out, and he struggled to say something. "Mom... Kaoru got shot. He's in the hospital."

"What?!"

"Where are you been?!"

"I talked to you yesterday on the phone," She turned to Haruhi. "And I talked to you on the phone. No one told me anything like this! You young man. How could you not tell your own mother your brother got hurt?"

Hikaru stared at the floor. "...I dunno. It's not something I want to talk about."

"I'm your _mother_."

"Well if one of us almost dies again I'll be sure to tell you first."

Yazuha grabbed her purse and threw it over her shoulder in a huff. She looked down at Hiroshi, then turned to Haruhi. "I'm sorry I have to cut this short, Haru, darling, He's very cute, but I have to go visit my newly pregnant daughter-in-law and my son who apparently almost died just recently."

Haruhi nodded, biting her lip as she watched her leave. "Bye, Yazuha."

Hikaru flinched as his mother passed him to get to the door. Fortunately, she didn't hit him like he thought she would and just left calmly. Apparently his little brother was going to get more of her heat when she saw him.

He looked over at his father-in-law. Ryoji had grabbed Hiroshi and instantly took Yazuha's spot on the couch the moment she left. He sat the baby on his lap and wrapped his free arm around Haruhi's waist, pulling her into him, kissing her temple a few times before he forced her into a tighter hug.

They called Ryoji before anything the day before, but he was in Karuizawa and couldn't make it soon enough then before it was dark, so he came down the day after, taking the earliest subway train there was.

Their small reunion moment when he got there was tearful and loud. He grabbed onto her instantly and held her tight for a minute, just soaking it in, before he squeezed her so tight she almost squeaked and kissed every inch of her face. He too didn't care what she looked like now, as long as she was finally home. That's what mattered to him.

Hikaru stood near the entrance to the living room and stared at them. Hiroshi was just sitting on Ryoji's lap, chewing his hand. Haruhi was leaning into her father, stuffing her face into his shirt.

They were absorbed into their own quiet conversation. He looked at the floor, hearing their soft hushed whispered, telling each other how much they missed them.

He was wrapping himself in his own thoughts when he felt something on his shoulder. He turned around slowly and saw a maid with a timid attitude standing behind him, with her hands clasped together.

"Mister Hitachiin," she said quietly. "there's someone in the living room, he'll like to talk to you."

Hikaru glared in suspicion. "Who is it?"

"Mister Ootori."

"Oh... What does he want?"

"He didn't say. It's private and he'd like to speak with you."

"Of course he does." Hikaru turned towards Haruhi and Hiroshi again but decided not to say anything to them. "I'll be there in a second."

She nodded and left.

Hikaru rubbed his hand over his head and gripped his auburn locks between his fingers in inner frustration. There was no end to the constant secret speaking, drama and uncomfortable situations.

It didn't take him long to get to the hallway. His footsteps echoed from the emptiness and that knew he knew he had been without a wife for far too long before now. It never sounded empty when Haruhi was there everyday.

He turned the corner and saw Kyouya in the middle of the entryway, he held a file, and was looking at his watch.

"Kyouya..." He muttered, catching his attention. "I thought we were done with there unannounced visits?"

Kyouya looked up at him. His brow furrowed in what looked to be annoyance. "Apparently not. Don't complain, I just spoke with Kaoru, too."

Hikary made a face. "For what? Has Range gone missing now, too?"

"No. fortunately no one's gone missing. I've called every search party superintendent and detective I've Had out everywhere, you fired everyone you hired before we even found Haruhi so I didn't have to d that too luckily, but this is about something else."

His expression hardened. "You found out who kidnapped Haruhi in the first place? Or their supervisor? Or whoever the hell did it?"

"No, that's what we need to talk about." Kyouya gripped the file under his arm. "We have no idea what this group is, or who they are. No one's ever heard of them, none of the members of the group have had criminal records. No one in the world has ever heard a this group. We can't find them anywhere. To the world, they don't exist."

Hikaru glared. "But you have Hibiki in custody, hold a knife to his throat and make him talk."

"It doesn't work that way, and I've had multiple interrogators in with him since the other day and he wont spill a word. The only things he says are absolute nonsense. He's confusing us with the crap he says."

"What about Katsu?"

"We've looked all around Yasano. We can't find him."

Hikaru looked down and clenched his fingers. "How could he have gotten away so fast?"

Kyouya held out the file he held. His expression was plain. "But it isn't about that either. Until we figure out who's the chief of the operation we can't relax. It isn't safe for anyone anymore Especially Haruhi and Mokoto since they're victims."

Hikaru sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What're we supposed to do? We can't call them and tell them that kidnaping the woman isn't going to work for us and that they should stop. I don't even know why they're doing it. Haruhi... doesn't want to talk about it yet."

"Well get her to. We need to know as much as possible. Mokoto wasn't told much. She was just a distraction to them. I'm wondering why Haruhi was their main target. Out of everyone in the world, she's the one they wanted, and still might want."

"I don't know either, and neither does she."

"Which is why We're putting them in witness protection."

Had Hikaru been drinking something, he would have spit it out just then. "Witness protection? For what? What will that do? If they can find Mokoto at her own house without her telling anyone where she lives what stopping people from finding out where they hide? Haruhi yeah, she was out in public but Mokoto was standing in front of her own apartment."

"My squad wants to put them in a safe house. Until we find out who's causing all the trouble we can't have them out anywhere and even being home isn't safe anymore for anybody."

"Are we putting everyone one in witness protection then? Cause if not what's the point?"

"No. Just Haruhi and Mokoto."

"What's going to stop them from getting to Ranka? or Reiko? If they can't find Haruhi then what if they try to get to Ayame?"

Kyouya took a deep breath, tossing the file down on the small table that was near the door. "You said that earlier that day, Hibiki said that he wasn't allowed to kill you. That might mean something, so either it's the Hitachiin family they want, or it's just you and Haruhi and Mokoto unfortunately got pulled into it."

"He did say that, but what would they want with our family?"

"I don't know. Which is why we need to make sure they can't take anyone anymore. From what Hibiki has said, their group won't hesitate to kill anyone who pisses them off. So Hikaru, don't mess with them. We were lucky that last time."

"...I wouldn't say, _lucky_."

"Hibiki says Kaoru's lucky to be alive right now, because Katsu could have kept shooting had the revolver had more bullets."

Hikaru looked towards the living room again and from an angle, he saw Ryoji holding Hiroshi up in the air, and Haruhi was fussing over him, being sure to tell him to hold him right and to be careful.

He turned back to Kyouya, folding his arms. "... Haruhi wouldn't want to go to another place. I don't think I'd be necessary."

"...Your mature side will make the right decision in this case. I'm not the one who makes the call but I highly recommend moving."

With that, Kyouya looked at the file, silently telling Hikaru to look at it, before he turned back to the door and left. He left Hikaru is in wake. Conflicted and confused.

In this situation, what really is the best choice?

* * *

Kaoru hissed as a burning sensation stuck his side immediately, the moment he turned just slightly. He pressed his head into the side cushion on the couch he laid on and whined.

"Hold still, don't move."

He wanted to turn over and hide his face into the pillow. "...Ow... It hurts to cry."

Mayuki reached her hand over and stroked his hair. "Two surgeries and a blood transplant in five days, it's going to hurt for a while."

"It hurts to breathe in, it hurts to breathe out, Mayu... There's no hope for me. I'll wait for you on the other side."

"Sure you will." She pushed her dark hair out of her face as she leaned over him. "Do you want some water?"

Kaoru pouted out loud, sticking his tongue out as he stared at the ceiling. "If I drink water, I'll want to eat... And Mayuki?"

She exhaled deeply. "Yes, Kaoru?"

"It hurts to eat."

"I know." After deciding that it was pointless to argue with him further, Mayuki leaned her elbows on the couch near his shoulders. "Does it hurt to kiss, too?"

He turned his head, giving her a tiny grin. "Probably not that much."

She stood up and brushed her fingers against his cheek. "Wouldn't want to take a chance... I gotta get the cookies."

"You're mean. Come back." Kaoru groaned, making a face. He watched her walk away from him and turned back to the ceiling once she was out of sight. "...I'd get up and come after you! But... oh my god, it hurts to raise me voice..."

She just laughed but didn't come back, being too busy retrieving her beloved cookies which she had been slaving over the store to have for the last two hours.

He moved his arm over his side and took a long deep breath. His last surgery was two days ago, and before that was his blood transplant. His whole body ached but the pain medication made it a little more bearable.

Almost eight days ago they had brought Haruhi back from that place, and after trying to get his doctor to let him go home for the rest of the time he'd be healing, they finally let him go. They were home now, but he was seduced to bed-rest or couch-rest depending on where he was.

He hadn't seen his brother or any one else in three days, when he was still at the hospital, and when his mother came to visit. She was man at him for the first couple of minutes until Mayuki distracted her with the fact that she was pregnant.

Kaoru felt delicate and useless. He wanted to get up and do things for his pregnant wife, not have his pregnant wife have to get up and do things for him. It hurt to move. He wouldn't be able to go back to work for another month or two, which really sucked, considering that his brother hadn't been to work in ages.

Suddenly, as he was moving his elbow over his face, covering his eyes from the light, there was a knocked at the door, causing all his thoughts to come to a complete halt.

He turned to the door from the couch and grumbled. "...Mayu..."

Then he moved his arm off his face and glared at the ceiling. Even if his doctor told him not to move an inch unless he absolutely had to, Kaoru still had to defy him. He grabbed the head of the couch and pulled himself up, feeling like an old man.

"...This person better be worth it." He hissed again, clutching his side that still had a brace on it under his shirt. He swung his legs around and stood up, feeling as though he had just been stabbed with a thousand little knifes in the side. He took a deep breath and stood up, making sure Mayuki wasn't looking.

Their penthouse was large, but even at his speed it didn't take long for him to reach the front door. Their knocks became excessively loud and obnoxious and he wanted to rip his hair out.

He cursed at humanity before he grabbed the door knob. He clutched his side in pain just didn't let his face show it as he opened the door, interrupting their knocks.

The round face and brown hair wasn't exactly something pleasant for him to look at.

"Oh you were _so_ not worth it." He murmured in annoyance, staring at the woman in front of him. "What're you doing here?"

Kagami frowned. "Not funny. Is Hikaru here?"

"If he was I would have had him get the door."

"Is he?"

"... _No_."

She sighed, crossing her arms over her perky chest. "Where is he then? I was at his house but he wasn't there."

He grasped the frame of the door. "What's it to you? He's busy."

"I've been calling him all week but he hasn't answered or replied to any of my messages. Do you know where he is?"

"Or a better question... how do you know where I live?"

"...Hikaru told me. But that's not the point. Where is he? I'm worried about him."

Kaoru looked at her with a strange expression. He narrowed his eyes and looked her straight in the face. "He isn't in town today. He's gone shopping."

She glared in utter confusion. "Why? He was sick the last time I saw him. What is he doing shopping? He doesn't shop? Where at?"

"Eh, at some baby stores down town, maybe. They've been shopping a lot."

Her face loosened. Her eyebrows titled upwards. "... _They_?"

"Him and Haruhi."

"...Haruhi?"

"Hmm,mm." He looked at her again, licking his bottom lip. "You sound surprised. He told you where I live, I thought he'd tell you that his wife was back, too. I guess he was ignoring your phone calls though so maybe he didn't feel the need to."

Kagami stood there, with her lips parted slightly. "No... He didn't tell me." She glanced down at her feet, then looked back up at him. "I... I thought she was still missing. When did she-?"

"A couple of days ago."

"...Oh." She looked to her side, looking genuinely hurt. "I... I didn't know. I..." She hesitated, hugging herself a little. "...I need to talk to him."

"Do you?"

"It's important."

"I doubt he'll want to talk to you over Haruhi. They have a baby, too. Turns out Haruhi had it the whole time she was missing. Funny, huh?"

"...Yeah, hilarious... But I really need to talk to him."

Kaoru felt his side burn from standing up too straight. His legs wanted to collapse. "If you want I'll give him a message." Apparently, he didn't mean that, as he began shutting the door, not planning on saying anything else to her.

Just as he was about to shut the door all the way, she glared coldly and grumbled under her breath, sounding almost like a growl.

"I'm pregnant."

He froze, dead, peaking it back open. "... _What_?"

"Yep..." She bit her lip, looking down at the floor, rubbing her fingers together awkwardly. "...And guess who the daddy is."


	25. Chapter 25

**The Forced Confession**

* * *

The door, this time, was slammed shut so loudly that there was no doubt the neighbors five doors down heard it.

Kaoru gripped the door knob tightly and leaned against the door's frame. His other hand cupped his side. He had slammed the door right on her face as a flowing feeling washed over him, filling his chest with heat and hatred. Slamming the door was the least he could have done, and he was glad he had done it before he started contemplating.

He gasped as he felt an electrifying pain struck behind his ribs. He nearly collapsed had it not been for the wall, and an arm that suddenly grabbed his. He felt warm fingers rest against the torso of his shirt and press against him.

"Kaoru. Get. Back. In. Bed... _Now_."

He winced, gripping his wife's hand against the pain. "Ow... Sorry, I was-"

"What are you trying to do? Pop your stiches? Go _back_ to the hospital?" Mokoto grabbed both his hands and gently pulled him back into the living area. "I take my eye off you for one second, and- _oh, I don't know_ , I just thought my husband would be smart enough not to get up, but no. He isn't."

Kaoru inhaled sharply as she let go of him and let him sit back down on the couch. "I'm right here, and I know. Walking isn't going to kill me."

"No. But it'll _pop your stiches_. Seriously, am I talking to myself?"

"Moko, I-... There was knocking at the door and I-"

" _One_ , we're not expecting anyone, _two_ , you should have got me. You're not the man of the house right now, you're the injured one!"

"But it was Kagami..."

"So? You don't like her anyway." Mokoto threw her hands up, but soon she gave up her lecture and grabbed a hot cookie off the platter that was in front of her and leaned back into the couch next to her husband.

Then, she turned to him, arching her eyebrow. "Wait... You told her where we live?"

"No, apparently, Hikaru did." He frowned, feeling Mokoto's soft fingers on the back of his hand. "Not that he has any right to tell my arch nemesis where my apartment is though."

"It doesn't matter." She gave his leg a light pat. "But what did she want?"

"She wants, Hikaru."

"Oh please, Kaoru. _Enough_. You're a grown man, you need to start giving people the benefit of the doubt."

"Not with her. It doesn't apply." He took a deep breath, biting the inside of his cheek. "And she _was. S_ he came over looking for Hikaru. Claiming she was worried about him. Bitch."

"Hey. Knock it off. She's a nice friend."

"She's a floozy."

Kaoru stuffed his hands into his hair, leaning his head back against the head rest of the couch. His voice hitched with sarcasm. "But it's okay, isn't it? Cause Haruhi's back and I don't have to worry about her."

Mokoto nodded, petting his hair. "Exactly."

"Except for the fact that she's having my brother's baby! Oh god damn... My side hurts so bad but I'm so _mad_ right now."

Mokoto gasped. "Oh my... Kagami- She's uh..."

Kaoru took a deep breath and looked away, hiding the pain that was behind his eyes. "I'd cry but my face is too heated with rage that my tears would evaporate."

She sighed, leaning into his side, rubbing his stomach. "Wow I uh... I didn't know that they-... more than once. And she told you?"

"She did it to mock me. She knows it would have effected me the most."

"Effected you the most? Does she know that Haruhi's back? Hikaru knows doesn't he? What about them?" She stared at the floor, her lips parted in half shock. "I'd uh... Oh my god. Ew. That's... that is so gross. Was he in his right mind? They can't have babies together, he's with Haruhi and she just got back!"

"I know!" He flinched, hissing through his teeth as he clutched his side again. "She looked surprised but... she looked mad when she told me she was.. _pregnant_." He could barely say it. Kaoru rubbed his face, massaging his fingertips into his forehead. "I don't now what to do. I can't fix this."

"You don't have to fix this, Kaoru. This is what I was telling you earlier." Mokoto swiped his bangs to one side of his face. "This isn't your problem. Look at yourself. You're on bed rest because you got hurt. No one is expecting you to fix anything anyway."

"Just because of the accident doesn't mean I'm going to distance myself from Hikaru. He's a halfwit, he can't fix things on his own. He just makes them worse."

"You use that excuse for everything. That Hikaru's too stupid to help himself. You know he isn't. He's capable of some things." She gave him a firm expression, gripping his free hand. "This isn't your fault. Hikaru got himself into this mess, and he has to fix it. You don't. You're not his big brother, he's yours."

"...Sometimes it doesn't feel that way."

Mokoto sighed, taking his hand. Placing it over her blossoming stomach. "You don't owe him anything. If anything, he owes you. You're not going to interfere with this. We're not going to do anything. This is drama that we don't need right now. Okay?"

"But I really want to." His head rolled, and his eyes met with her instantly. "I wish she was a guy, so I could punch her. But I'm a gentleman."

She rubbed his arm comfortingly. "You need to stop babying your brother, and baby your own baby. They'll work it out. It might not even be his."

He was about to reply, but he cut himself short of words as she cupped his cheek, tilting his face a little more towards her. He was frowning as she sat up slightly, laying a soft, tender but quick kiss on his lips.

When they pulled away his frown faded, but only slightly.

"Yeah..." He muttered, moving his hand from his stomach to play with the tips of her hair. "You're probably right."

She nodding, knowing that she was. "...I kinda wanna punch her, too."

He grinned, grabbing her face. "Have I mentioned that I love you?"

* * *

"Hey! Don't peak."

"I'm not peaking, my cheek was itchy."

"Keep your eyes closed. We're almost there."

"Is it a new washing machine?"

"No."

"Is it a new blender?"

"No."

"Is it something I'll use?"

"I'm not telling you. Watch out, don't trip. "

Haruhi cringed. "Is it a dress?"

Hikaru chuckled, laying his face near her ear. "No, Haruhi."

"It's a dress isn't it?"

"It's not a dress, I promise."

"...Is it sparkly?"

"I dunno. Maybe slightly in some places."

"Is there ruffles?"

"Maybe."

"It's a pink sparkly ruffled knee high dress, huh? You know I only would wear dresses on special occasions."

He rolled his eyes, holding his hands to his wife's eyes, looking towards the floor making sure she wouldn't trip over the last step of the long staircase they had just escalated from. "It is a special occasion. It's not every day my wife is missing for two years and suddenly comes back."

She snickered, feeling his fingers against her forehead. "I've been here a week. Haven't you gotten used to me yet?"

He shrugged, letting out a breath. "It's going to take a while, but we'll figure it out. It's been hard to warm a king size bed all by myself though."

"I've missed you, too."

Smirking, with his hands still on her eyes, he leaned over and placed a small peck on her cheek. "I'm kidding, but you know it has been."

"You're lucky. I would have preferred having my bed cold rather than sharing it with people I don't like."

His smirk dropped immediately and was replaced with a discouraged raise of his upper lip. "We'll talk about that stuff later, I also have to tell you something, but after I show you the surprise."

"You really didn't have to, Hikaru. I already feel guilty for what's happened. I know it hasn't exactly been peachy keen for you either."

His expression softened, but surprisingly he didn't let his hands fall. "It has nothing to do with that. Don't feel guilty, nothing was your fault either. And who's to say it _was_ your fault, I think you've paid your price. You still don't have to feel like anything that has happened was because of something you did."

Haruhi hesitated, her voice almost cracking from pressure. "I dunno. I think I-"

"I still feel guilty about you having to raise our baby by yourself with a bunch of assholes always around you, but are you going to hold it against me?"

"...No."

"Then I'm not holding anything against you either."

"But... I was gone for a really long time and I don't..."

"Alright stop." He exclaimed, making her flinch. He chewed his lip, stopping her in front of one of the many doors in their house. His hands were still over her so she could tell that they were still inside, but didn't know where. "Okay Haruhi, I'm telling you to go against everything you believe in, and actually be excited. At least fake it if you have to."

"...Is it a dress?"

"No. It is _not_ a dress."

"Is it lots of dresses? Cause you've done this to me before."

"No dresses. Not a single one. Meaning, _not at all_."

She stay silent, hearing him open the door. It made no sound as it was pushed, having been professionally oiled. She was greeted with the sweet smell of lavender and a hint of what smelt like baby powder. Her face wrinkled in thought as his hands fell from her face. She blinked a few times against the new light and stood there, surrounded by a nice warm inviting aroma.

It was a lot brighter than she thought it would be as the light from a large chandelier that hung up on the high ceiling. It didn't look familiar to her, and she wondered if that was just because she had been gone for so long, or if it was new.

Obviously it was new. Her breath suddenly left her as she looked around the room. In fact, the whole room was new. It was one of the guest rooms but everything inside was new. The walls were painted a new fresh color of powder blue and the floor was replaced with lighter boards and were polished to the point they shined.

The floor wasn't patched with Tatami mats, but with soft blue floor rugs in every corner. In the middle of the room, pressed against the wall, was a bright white caged crib, lined with matching blue pads. In another corner, there was a tall floor to ceiling wardrobe, accessorized with diamond doorknobs.

In the other corner, near the large window that was draped with heavy ruffled curtains there was a white chair with blue buttoned cushions, on the other side, there was a changing table, a nightstand, another table that was a little larger with two tall chairs, and near that, was a large chest that just so happened to be open and over filled with toys.

Haruhi just stood in the doorway, looking at the whole room in speechless awe, but also utter confusion.

"Oh... _wow_."

Curious, Hikaru leaned over her shoulder, looking at her face.

Her eyes were wide with her lips slightly parted. "It's... It's a... _nursery_."

"A _real_ one." He corrected her, laying his chin on her shoulder, smirking pompously. "...It took all day. Well... All yesterday afternoon and half of today. I'm surprised you didn't notice."

She still stood there, not moving but her head to take anther long look around the room, taking in every detail. "... This is... _wow_."

"Beautiful, fantastic, absolutely the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen, but yeah... _wow_ will work."

Haruhi turned to look at her husband, but didn't look at him long before she looked back at it all again. "It is. It's... it's so cute. It's perfect."

He narrowed his brow at the uncertainty in her tone. "... _But_?"

"But it's... it looks so expensive."

He blinked, still confused. He threw his arm out towards it all as he spoke with a higher pitch. "Expensive? Haruhi this is the cheapest set online that fit both standards."

"Hikaru, that's a diamond chandelier." She turned, pointing at the crib. "And that looks silver. It's so... _extravagant_. Is it... necessary?"

He sighed. "I swear, this is how all our arguments used to start. The stuff you picked out at the store looked exactly what that old stuff looked like in that guy's house. In other words... it looks like it was for poor people. And it's not diamond. It's _crystal_."

Haruhi pouted. "No it didn't. And I didn't pick out that crib, Katsu built it. But it's not like I hate it. It's so pretty and clean but... you must have spent so much money on it."

He bit his lip, holding in what would be an obnoxious snort. "You think _this_ looks expensive. I could show you the bill I was sent for all those private detectives I hired to find you. It'd give you're poor heart a it's own little commoner heart attack."

Horrified as to how much that cost, Haruhi cringed and turned back around, giving the nursery another look. "...Sorry. I love it, Hikaru. Hiroshi will be so happy with this. The last house wasn't really safe for him to play in. I wouldn't let him on the floor a lot. It really is perfect."

Hikaru still heard the uneasy tone in her voice, but he had learned to live with it. Even if they had a fairly well steady income (him being co-management of a billion-yen company) they still managed to get into arguments that involved money, because she hated to spend gob amounts of it in such a short period, and he really couldn't care less. She seemed to buckle under quickly this time though, most likely because she knew he was right for buying it, but didn't want to admit it.

Before he could reply to her with some witty comeback, she turned around and flung her arms around his waist, bringing herself closer to him in a tight hug. He nearly stumbled back from the force but in return he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, feeling her hot breath against his collarbone.

His fingers sneaked into her hair, gripping her locks securely. "...I guess I went sort of over the top with the gold trimmed crib and the crystal chandelier."

She snickered, gripping his shirt. "I don't think the baby would care about an inch thick line of shiny paint. I'll make sure he appreciates it though."

He grumbled, petting her hair lightly tugging and pulling at the tips. "I just-... I saw the room he was in before and I didn't like it. I went over the top but I wanted to buy the best. I figured he deserved it. I wasn't going to buy that table but it was a suggestion."

"A suggestion?"

"Yes. Woman are very persuasive. I think she said something about having coffee at 'Three AM' while waiting for babies to wake up, or something like that."

"I see..."

Haruhi leaned into his warm shirt, pressing her temple under his chin. "Did you do this yourself?"

"I hired people to do the dirty work."

"Ah."

"Meaning _no_. I didn't lift a finger."

She laughed, standing on her tiptoes. "Since it's for Hiro, I won't complain. You went through a lot of trouble... And he did need a room. But... you do know you can't buy a baby's love, don't you?"

He shrugged, his lips curving upwards. "I could try."

She turned to look at the expensive light piece before turning to him, smiling. "He's a good baby. He deserves everything in here. But... where did all those toys come from?"

He snorted, tipping his brow. "More peace offerings."

Her smirk faded from her face as she fell back to her feet. She looked down at her hoodie and played with the zipper awkwardly before looking back at the room. She knew Hiroshi was with the maids, but she had this aching feeling in her stomach that told her she needed him. She shook it off as simply being 'over protective and looked back at her husband.

"Hikaru... This stuff was sort of necessary, but you do know that you don't have to feel the need to buy him a bunch of things just because you couldn't earlier." She looked up, studying the strange expression he gave her. "He's ten months old. He doesn't care about shiny new toys that cost hundreds of yen, it's nice, but at this age all he needs is a good dad who knows how to warm up a bottle at nap time."

Hikaru's arm loosened from around her. His voice lowered. "...I guess not, but-"

"It doesn't matter about all those days that you've missed. Later on, we won't even remember them. What does matter is that you're going to be there for him for all the other days, right? I told you I wasn't going to hold it against you."

His frown tightened. "You know... It's always bugged me how you were always able to read my mind so easily."

"It's your eyebrows. That's the same look you gave me back in college when I tripped down the stairs and sprained my ankle. You were making yourself feel guilty the whole time I was recovering."

"Uh _yeah_ , cause I'm the one who accidentally tripped you."

"It doesn't matter. You get my point." She placed her finger on his lower lip. "If you want to, take him out on a father son outing. He likes yogurt. But he's a baby and he doesn't have all his teeth, make sure he doesn't get hard fruit in his."

"Of course dough boy likes yogurt. Does he like ice-cream, too?"

She glared. "Not if his daddy makes fun of him for it."

Hikaru, having a long lost feeling spring through his chest, laughed lightheartedly and pulled her close, smelling her shampoo that still lingered. He hugged her tightly and so close to his chest that she was raised up to her toes.

With one hand, he cupped her cheek and tilted her face, allowing himself to give her other cheek a light, careless kiss before releasing her completely, dropping her down back to her own height.

She sighed, having that been the most affection he had showed her all week. Though she didn't think she was in the place to complain about that, too.

"Mister Hitachiin." A voice of one of their maids came up from behind his shoulder. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Misses Shimizu is downstairs."

Hikaru pulled himself away from Haruhi, making a face at her, but noticing that she was holding Hiroshi he stopped. "What is she doing here?"

"She said she wanted to see you."

"Alright," he groaned, reaching for the baby in her arms. "tell her I'm busy. We can talk tomorrow."

Their elder maid appeared, her hands around over chest. "I already tried making her leave. She slipped right out of my hands. _Literally_."

Hiroshi squeaked, throwing his hands up, tossing himself back, almost sending himself out of his father's arms.

Haruhi rolled her eyes and took the baby from them before they both fell over.

* * *

"Hikaru! There you are. I've been worried sick all week."

As Hikaru's feet fell from the last step of the staircase, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and stared at the brunette who had her hands balled up to her chest.

He pinched his eyes shut, tight as he heard his wife follow him, listening to Hiroshi babble complaints behind him.

"Kagami," he exhaled, staring at her bright smile she gave him. "what're you doing here?"

"I was worried about you, that's what I said." she stuck her bottom lip out, stepping closer to him. "And... I also needed to talk to you. I tried to tell you earlier, but you were never home when I'd visit and you weren't answering my calls."

He shrugged, licking his lip. "I've been busy."

She blinked, tensing her shoulders. "Doing what?"

He looked over his shoulder, chewing on the inside of his cheek. He hesitated with an awkward silence. "...Haruhi's back."

"Oh, I know. You're brother told me." She smiled, her fingers reached for his hand and lightly touched his palm before he pulled away. She frowned suspiciously. "He said you were... out shopping a lot."

Hikaru nodded, clenching his jaw. "Yeah, shopping. Turns out Haruh had-... Wait, Kaoru? He's at his apartment. How did you talk to him?"

Kagami fluttered her eyelashes as she tipped her head to the side, looking over her shoulder where she saw a blonde standing, holding a chubby, complaining baby to her chest. "Oh... I know, I was at his place. He told me he was injured, and I felt bad about all those things I said about him so I went to apologize and to see if he needed help around the house being... injured an all."

"He's married..."

"I know! But Makoto-"

"Mokoto."

" _Mokoto._ She's pregnant, she can hardly get off the couch herself." She grumbled, but her tone immediately lightened. "Anyway, it's not about them. I wanted to talk to you about something."

Haruhi, who had been standing behind Hikaru the whole time, stepped on her tiptoes when Hiroshi reached to pull his father's hair. "Hika, who is this?"

Hikaru, grabbing Haruhi's hand in almost a rush of urgency, pulled her to his side and touched Hiroshi's hair softly, and just barely with his fingertips. "Haru, this is... Kagami."

Haruhi tilted her head, looking at him oddly after hearing a strange creak in his throat. "The acquain-"

" _Yep_."

Kagami stared at Haruhi, her lips slowly tightening into a forced smile. Even Hikaru could see she was struggling. "I know... Kaoru told me you came back. That's nice. Hikaru's really been... a wreck."

"Why has everyone been saying that?"

Haruhi chuckled despite her husband's annoyance, switching the heavy baby to her other arm. "The maids talk a lot about you. I'm glad he had someone to keep him company for the time I was gone."

"Yeah," Kagami nodded, pushing her hair behind her ear. Her voice cracked. "It took him awhile to get over it. I'm glad you're back. Hikaru wouldn't stop looking for you until insanity kind of took him."

Hikaru glared. "It's wasn't insanity."

"I don't think we've met before," Haruhi extended her hand out to her, politely smiling. Obviously not seeing the same thing Hikaru did. "Would you like to come into the living room for-"

"I didn't come to stay for cookies and tea." The brunette cut her off. Her face was tightened and her forehead creased with a scowl, but she hurriedly lightened her expression. "Hikaru, I have to talk to you. In _private_."

Haruhi looked up at Hikaru for just a second before turning on her heel. Before she could get far though, he grabbed her wrist and kept her from leaving. He pulled her back and shoved her into his side again, yet more secure.

" _Stay._ " He whispered, gripping her hands, fitting his fingers between hers. "Kagami, look, I know these past few... months have been hellish, but about... that thing." He looked down at Hiroshi then back at her. "Acquaintance thing we had... Mmm."

"I know, it's about that." Kagami gave Hiroshi a look when he looked at her. Her sneer made him roll his head away from her. "Hikaru, I don't know if Kaoru told you, but... after that little... moment, Um... It's uh- it's really awkward."

She stared at Hikaru's raised eyebrow look and sighed, chewing the thin skin off her lip. "...I'm pregnant."

Haruhi looked at Hikaru again, without a moment to think. Hikaru still just looked as confused as ever.

"Oh... I didn't know you were with someone." He said, swallowing. "But I don't think that's my business."

"...It's your baby, Hikaru."

Haruhi's eyes nearly popped out of her head. She turned to Kagami, watching her hand move to her flat stomach. Hikaru narrowed his brow and stood there absolutely speechless.

After everything, after going through so much pain and trouble. After finally getting Haruhi back, and growing to forgive and forget, and to be forgiven, this is what life throws back in his face for karma. He though karma was his brother getting hurt. He thought that everything he had done, all the bad things he had thought of good people was met and were eased by his brother getting shot right in front of him.

Having his twin's blood on his hands apparently wasn't enough.

An accidental fling had to tell him, right in front of his wife, that she was pregnant with his child.

Hikaru's lips slowly parted, stunned to the point he was nearly in a daze.

 _When was this all going to end?_

 _Was it ever?_

The silence that had fallen between the three of them was long and awkward. Hikaru's arm fell from her hand as Haruhi's fingers loosened, letting him go. Hiroshi made a sound that snapped him out of an envisioned trance.

Haruhi stepped back. Her eyes baring into the polished floorboards. "I... I think I hear the baby crying."

Hikaru stood there, letting her untangle herself from him completely. He made no attempt to stop her any longer. His hands merely slipped themselves into his hoodie. He hadn't taken a breath since Kagami said those last few words, and he wasn't totally sure whether he had forgotten how to or not.

Kagami looked up, giving Haruhi a questionable look as she walked away. "She does know she's holding the baby, right?"

Hikaru's attention snapped back into place. He looked up, staring at her with the muscles in his jaw twitching, struggling to keep his mouth shut. "She's upset now."

"Oh... Look, Hikaru. I know-"

"I know. Kagami, what happened between us wasn't supposed to happen. It was a drunken mistake." He couldn't bring himself to take his eyes away from her flat non-existent baby bump. "But... please tell me you're lying."

Kagami sucked in her bottom lip, staring at the floor with glazed over eyes.

She shook her head. "...No. I know it was a mistake, but I'm not lying. Hikaru, I'm-"

"Right." He took a unsteady breath as he turned away. "...Well then you sure the hell picked a great time to tell me this. Damn it."

Then, he remembered something and looked at her again. "...You were at Kaoru's weren't you?"

"...For a minute before he slammed the door on my face."

"You told him this?"

"...He practically pried it out of me. Then he got mad and told me to leave."

Hikaru tried to think of an excuse, but nothing but the truth was coming to him. He had to tell Haruhi, and reality was going to force him, even if it already seemed obvious.

"...Kagami?"

"Yes?"

"I think you should leave here, too."

She looked up, her hand still on her stomach. "But, Hikaru..."

"I know, come back later, we'll talk about this but... not right now."

Then, she watched Hikaru walk away. Following in Haruhi's invisible footsteps in a haste. She was left their in their wake, still with her fingers tugging at the fabric of her shirt.

With her throat closing in, causing it to be harder to swallow, Kagami turned her face and clenched her fist, balling her shirt in her fist. She noticed her own tension and eased her hand back to normal, rubbing her stomach lightly with gentle feather-like finger touches.

She looked up, listening to heavy footsteps up the stairs.

 _It was crashing down._

 _But she was determined to fix it._

With that thought in mind, she then turned and made her way to the front door where a car was parked outside, running, waiting for her.

 _'You can't ignore me forever, Hikaru..._ '

 _'I love you.'_

 _'And I have to have you.'_

 _'...I need you.'_


	26. Chapter 26

**Remind Me**

* * *

Hikaru tried to keep his emotions intact. He tried not to act on impulse, as his first impulse was to throw a raging fit and to expression himself loudly, just to scream, and get it all out.

He couldn't do that, he needed to stay calm.

He wanted the happiness back. The happiness that was there for a split second. The happiness he felt when he saw his wife for the first time in eighteen months. That little shard of happiness he felt when Haruhi urged him to hold Hiroshi, while he slept. The happiness he felt as she laid her head against his shoulder.

That was peace. The peace between them was what he wanted back. He didn't want to deal with this anymore. He didn't want to deal with the stress, or the fear anymore. His heart had sunk into the pit of his stomach and had never gone back up. His skin was constantly hot, and he couldn't cool down.

He knew the people who had taken her away from him so many months ago, were still out there. He couldn't relax. He couldn't let his guard down. They were capable of taking her before, what made anything different now? How could he know that they'll ever be safe?

If he knew why they had kidnapped her in the first place, maybe he could find a way to fix it, or solve the problem, but he couldn't. Haruhi didn't even know why she had been kidnapped, or maybe she did and just didn't want to tell him.

Now, to add to his already overloaded stress level, Kagami was pregnant and from what he was told, it was his child. At that thought, he squeezed his eyes shut so tight he was on the brink of tears.

He didn't remember the night, he didn't even remember the evening on which he had been drinking. He just remembered the morning. He remembered waking up beside Kagami, both unclothed, on the morning after his and Haruhi's wedding anniversary.

That made it worse.

It couldn't have been on any other night.

It had to be their anniversary.

He rubbed his head in frustration. He tried to breath out the knot in his chest but it wouldn't give. For five minutes, he didn't want to be an adult anymore. He wanted cry and complain, but he couldn't, as that would be childish and this whole mess was really his fault.

It hadn't taken him long to walk up the stairs, but he had spent more time than he should have just standing in front of the door to the new nursery. His fingers clutched the door knob and he slowly creaked it open as he heard his wife talking to herself.

He was about to question his wife's mental state until he noticed that she was talking to the baby as she was fixing his shirt. Hiroshi made an odd gurgled screech when she did something he didn't like, and screamed joyfully when he saw him standing in the doorway.

It was out of joy that he saw him, or Hiroshi just liked to hear himself scream, one of the two.

Hesitantly, he stepping into the room, watching his own steps even if he was sure there was nothing in his way. Haruhi turned her head after hearing his shoes against the floor, but she turned around again, averting her attention to the baby who was thrashing his arms in distress.

His stomach tightened. "...Haru?"

Haruhi cleared her throat, and straightened out her shoulders as Hiroshi threw himself over one, laying his pudgy cheek against the crook of her neck. "...Hmm?"

Hikaru stared at Hiroshi, but the baby said nothing. "I-...about Kagami-"

"I know. I heard."

"I know, but..." He exhaled, biting his lip. "That-... I didn't mean-"

She swallowed the forming lump in her throat. "Did you know about that before hand but you just didn't tell me?"

"No! I mean... I didn't know. I had no idea." His voice cracked, rubbing his shoe into the new rug. "I wanted to tell you about her but, well I-... I didn't really want to talk about her but..."

Haruhi shrugged, turning around, feeling Hiroshi grip her hair in his tiny fist. "I get why."

He sighed, furrowing his brow in self-disappointment. "It's not what you think... It was only one time, and, it was a mistake, Haruhi. I didn't want to have anything to do with her, but-"

She turned around again to set Hiroshi down in his new crib, despite his complaints and wanting to be held more. "It's okay, Hikaru. I'm not mad."

Hikaru looked up, his lips parted in confusion. "You should be."

Haruhi was silent. Her forehead creased as she rubbed the knuckle of her finger under her eye. "No, I know. But it's okay, I understand."

"Understand what?"

"Did you expect me to be gone for so long and be with so many other people, while I left you here alone?"

He narrowed his eyes, looking almost offended. "What? Did you just expect me to give up on you and automatically leave to be with another woman? Just because you wouldn't come home? Is that what you thought I was doing this whole time?"

Haruhi turned around, kneading her fingers together tightly in awkwardness. "...No, I just-"

"It was a mistake. Kagami was a mistake, and we only were together one time." He spoke, his voice hardening. "But you thought that just because you weren't here that I'd hook up with the closest girl I could get my hands on?"

Haruhi frowned, puckering her lips. "I didn't even say that. I meant that it would be wrong for me to think that you _should_ have been alone, while I wasn't."

"It isn't wrong to think that, because I should have been alone." He stepped up to her, hearing his own heart beat in his ears. "I should have been, but I wasn't, and that was my mistake. You should be upset because I was with someone other than you."

"But I was with someone other than you too but you're not mad about that."

"Because it wasn't your fault."

"But that shouldn't matter." Her voice remained quiet, almost timid as though she was afraid to raise her voice, and to make eye contact with him, and that didn't go unnoticed by Hikaru. "If it was a mistake than it wasn't your fault either, and I have no right be mad at you for it."

"Haruhi, Kagami's pregnant." He threw his arm out towards the door, with his eyes slanted. "With _my_ kid. I was only with her one time. I was drunk, two months ago during our anniversary!"

Haruhi flinched at his outburst, but still her voice neither rose or changed and she barely moved a muscle. "...You were with Kagami that day?"

Hikaru's chest tightened, and his shirt began to feel too tight for his skin. "...I was drunk before she came over. I don't remember ever doing anything with her. I just woke up next to her the next day... It was an accident."

She nodded, licking her lip. She slowly stepped up to him, and hesitantly touched his hand. "And it's okay, Hikaru. It was just an accident and it's not your fault."

Without thinking, Hikaru ripped his hand from her grasp and slapped his palms over her cheeks, tilting her face up to meet his gaze. "You're broken. Who broke you?"

Haruhi just stared at him, not quite sure how to answer that question. "You're the one broken."

He blinked, his cheeks loosing all tension. "...What?"

"Isn't that what you meant by not being able to live without me?" she muttered, grimacing as her fingers lightly brushed his that were against her face. "I saw your wine collection in the cabinet. The maids said you'd finish a bottle of wine by yourself in an evening."

He scowled. His eyebrows waggled as he thought of what to say. "...That was after... I didn't start drinking until two months ago when I thought I'd never seen you again."

"Was me not coming home really a reason for you to start drinking?" Her eyes glistened, and she tried to keep her tone steady. "You've never had that kind of problem before. If I was gone for so long but you've only recently started it, what made you pick it up?"

His eyes slanted and his hands moved from her face, down to her arms, and he didn't take into realization on how hard he was holding her. "It was because you were gone. After a year the police started thinking that I had something to do with your disappearance, then everyone said you were kidnapped, then you were being held for ransom, or you got hurt and didn't know who you were anymore."

He gripped her biceps harder as he pulled her against his chest, looking down at her with eyes that burned with forming tears. "Then everyone said you just up and left, and got into a car accident. Everyone thought you were dead, we went to your funeral, you have a headstone with your name on it in the garage. Then you were bought like some sort of mail order bride. You have no idea how many woman came to me claiming they were you, or how many times they said they found you but didn't."

Haruhi still didn't say anything, so he continued.

He loosened his hands around her when he noticed his fingers were pinching into her flesh. "...I didn't do anything because I still thought you'd come home. But when you didn't I gave up. I was upset with you because I thought you really did leave. I thought I did something wrong that made you walk away so I wanted to forget about you..."

Haruhi tightened her lips, and her eyelashes fluttered in attempt to rid the tears that were shimmering over her vision. She swallowed, though still speechless.

Hikaru's hands fell from her arms completely as he saw her shoulders trembling. He looked down at her and played with the tips of her hair, lightly running his fingers through her hair like blades to soft streams of water.

"...But I don't now," he murmured, gently resting his forehead against hers. "I want you back. I want everything to be the way it was before. I don't want to feel like I'm standing in front of a stranger when I'm with you, and... I don't want you to flinch anymore when I touch you."

Clenching he teeth, she rubbed under her eye and moved her hair off her shoulder. Hikaru stared at her with a look of empathy before moving his arms around her shoulders again, pulling her to him, letting her forehead repose against his chest. His fingers caressed her hair as she rubbed her face into his shirt.

He glanced over her head to see Hiroshi staring at them both through the bars of the crib with a pacifier in his mouth. He spit it out instantly once he looked at him.

He looked down at the floor and tightened his already secure hold on his wife, and kept tightening her arms until he felt her arms wrap around his waist. He swiped her bangs away from her face and laid his lips raw against her forehead, still stroking her hair.

"I just want to love you again, Haruhi."

 _But I don't know how..._

Haruhi ignored that as she was more hurt by that than he probably meant for her to be.

"...So what are you going to do about it?"

"...About what?"

"About, Kagami."

"Oh..." His brow knotted. "I don't know."

"You can't ignore it."

"I know, but..." Hikaru looked up again towards Hiroshi who was gripping the crib bars in his tiny hands, and peaking at them curiously, as though waiting for them to pay attention to him again, and as he looked at the baby longer, the words died in his throat.

"We'll figure something out."

* * *

"Oh thank god you're here! He's been complaining all day and I can't get him to stop."

Hikaru stared wide eyed at his sister-in-law as she just opened the door, looking mussed in usually neat areas and exhausted everywhere else. "...Kaoru?"

Mokoto groaned. "Yes. I hate him being on bed-rest. It's so annoying."

Giving her an odd look, Hikaru pressed his finger to her shoulder until she turned to let him in, and he instantly began shrugging off his jacket. "Ducktape."

She sighed, shutting the door close, then swiftly locked it. "He's still being doped up on pain pills, and I know he almost died, but... I kinda wanna kill right now."

Hikaru scoffed, petting her head as he passed as though it was a sign of modest in-law comfort and empathy. "I need to talk to him, though, is he in bed?"

"He's on the couch but..." she paused, scratching her neck. "he doesn't want to talk to you right now."

"Is that why he ignored my phone call?"

"That's why he's been ignoring everyone's phone calls."

Hikaru made a face. "What for?"

"He's upset with you."

He rolled his eyes, stepping into the entry hall. "He's always upset with me these days. What did I do now?"

Mokoto tipped her shoulders, not sure how to reply. Hikaru looked at her, waiting for an answer until he realized he wasn't going to get one. He turned around as she started patting her stomach. He ignored a few of her grumbled quibbles and walked to the living area where the couch was.

"Moko!" Kaoru called out in a whine. "Moo, moo, come back. I'm lonely."

"I'd come to you but you'd get mad at me..."

Hikaru rested his elbows on the edge of the couch, looking down at his brother who laid there, with his arm thrown over his face. His mouth twitched upwards as he tried not to laugh at him.

"Kao, Kao. My poor baby twin..." He stuck his lip out, not continuing until Kaoru raised his arm and looked at him. "You look so sad and defenseless."

Kaoru looked at him and frowned. "Mokoto! I told you not to let the stray dog in."

Hikaru glared. "You've gone delusional too."

"No honey, that's not the dog. He's your brother." Mokoto walked around the couch, petting his hair. "You know, the one who made you mad? He's here."

"I know, I'm not that high," Kaoru looked away from his brother and turned over, as carefully a he could just so he could avoid eye contact. "Tell him I don't want to talk to him."

"I'm right here and I can hear you, Kaoru."

"Moko, He's still here."

Mokoto looked at Hikaru as she made her way to sit on the couch next to her husband's head. "I told you he didn't want to talk to you."

Hikaru took a deep breath, leaning his head back to groan. "What did I do wrong this time? Good god, I can't do anything right apparently."

Kaoru turned his head, laying his hand on his wife's slightly bulged stomach as his head rested against her shoulder. "Moko, could you give us a minute? I thought after becoming adults I was done with my life lectures, but I guess not. We'll only be a minute I promise."

Mokoto rolled her eyes. She looked down at his eyes and instantly understood. She squeezed his hand one more time then stood up. Kaoru winced as she moved out from under him, but tried to hide it as he moved to the side of the couch and propped himself up against the arm of the couch.

Swallowing his pain and resisting to complain about it, Kaoru's eyes averted away from his disappearing wife while he rolled his head back to his brother, slanting his eyebrows.

Hikaru for what seemed like the hundredth time, sighed. "You're giving me the look. Whatever I did, I'm sorry."

Kaoru shook his head. "'Sorry' isn't going to make this better, Hikaru."

Hikaru narrowed his brow. It took him a minute to figure out what he meant and when he did, his front half collapsed against the head of the couch. "Who told you about Kagami?"

"Kagami did."

"...Oh." Hikaru stood up and rubbed his hands into his face. "Kao, I know. I screwed up and you told me to stay away from her, but it was an accident, I'm taking care of it."

"No, I'm not talking about her," Kaoru shook his head again, pressing his finger to his chin. "That was your mistake and I'm not going to stress about it. Hikaru, I'm too old to treat to worry about you twenty-four seven, I can't do it anymore."

"...Yeah, I'm almost twenty-five, pretty sure we had this conversation when we both graduated high school."

"No, you don't understand, I can't revolve myself in your life anymore," He admitted, pressing her hands together. "But when you involve me on your own I can't help it."

"You know Mokoto and Haruhi were kidnapped by people we don't know anything about, and those people are still out there," He continued, his voice toneless and raw. "I can't do a lot right now, and I have Kagami doing almost everything. If something were to happen, I wouldn't be able to do anything about it."

Hikaru moved around the couch and gently sat down on the opposite side of the couch, avoiding his twin's feet. He grabbed his hand. "I know, Kaoru, and I've blamed myself for this since it happened. I'm...stupid more often than I realize."

"You told Kagami where I live, Hikaru."

"I... _what_?"

"You told Kagami where I live with my wife who's five and a half months pregnant and who was kidnapped two months ago," He hesitated to rub his face again. "Hika, you can't tell people where I live. Those people threatened Mokoto, I can't have-"

Hikaru just shook his head, puling his hand away from his twin. "I never told Kagami where you live, Kaoru. I know what that feels like. My wife was missing for almost two years and was taken by the same people, I don't even tell people where _I_ live."

Kaoru's forehead creased with a confused scowl. "Kagami came over yesterday to deliver the beautiful news that she was pregnant with your baby, and when I asked her how she knew where I lived, she told me _you_ told her."

"That's insane because I've never told her anything," The muscles in his jaw twitched. "She must have gotten your address from one of the maids."

"Your maids hate Kagami and they know I hate her, too"

"Then she must have gotten it from my address book. I don't know, but I wasn't the one who told her."

Kaoru laid his head back, closing his eyes tightly as he let his head sink into the pillow behind him. "I was hoping it was you who told her. Now have no idea who knows where Mokoto and I live. All of Tokyo would know where I live, the press will flip when they know where A famous designer lives, and those people who took her away still know she's here."

"I feel sick, Hika. I can't sleep."

Hikaru pinched the top of his nose, as his other hand moved to his twin's again. Their fingers slid between the other's instantly. "I know, Kaoru. I'd tell you that it's going to be okay, but I have my own problems and right now it's hell."

"...How did Haruhi take it?"

Hikaru turned away. "...She said she wasn't mad."

Kaoru nodded, holding on tight to his brother's hand. "You know If I did what you did, Mokoto would be pissed."

"Haruhi's never been the jealous type and even if she was never kidnapped, or was ever held hostage in three different places, I don't think she would have said it bothered her that much, but all she's said to me was that I was broken and that she wasn't mad. It was an accident and it was all my fault."

"But..." He stared at his lap, his eyes fogging with deep curiosity. "She hasn't told me a lot about what's happened to her, and with her weird behavior I think she's keeping something from me on purpose."

"I don't know, Hikaru. I can't help you this time."

Kaoru turned, laying his head back down, pulling his hand away. He tried to get comfortable, but no position felt right. He turned to his brother again, showing an expression that was nearly unreadable.

"What did you come here for, Hika?"

Hikaru shrugged. "God forbids a big brother to visit his injured little brother?"

Kaoru looked away, "No, I guess not, but... You wanted something, didn't you?"

Hikaru gave his brother's leg a small pat before standing up. His lips casually brushed against his twins cheek. Kaoru curled his nose and wiped the lingering sensation away off his face, but Hikaru just grabbed his face and gave his other cheek a longer, wetter kiss.

"I did, but I think I figured it out."

* * *

Hikaru stare at the pregnancy test he held limply between his fingers. He squinted, turning it over, flipping it with a flick of his wrist as though he wasn't sure what he was looking at.

Or maybe because he was hoping it wasn't true.

Kagami, who sat on the chair opposite to him, licked her lips and fidgeted oddly in awkwardness of the intense silence. "Hika, I know we haven't talked about it, and that we didn't plan for this to happen but..." She placed her hand over her stomach. "It isn't the end of the world."

He looked towards her, with his eyes unchanged. "Are you sure? Usually it's sometimes wrong."

Her shoulders flinched and she looked away towards Hiroshi who was sitting on the floor, clutching a disembodied duck toy. "It's not. I got tested at the clinic, I took that test two days before."

"Maybe it's... faulty."

Kagami rolled her eyes. "Hikaru, you already have _Hiroshu_ , you know how this works."

"...I just knew I had Hiroshi a little over a week ago, now I'll have another kid."

"It isn't that bad, is it?" Her voice cracked, as her eyes darted back to Hiroshi who decided right then to let out a squeal and fall over. The duck toy rolled out of his tiny grasp as he fell onto his back. "Babies are so cute and besides..."

She continued to stare at the baby. "Babies don't determine someone's feelings. Just because they have a baby together doesn't mean _they_ have to be together."

"Yeah," he breathed. "I'm married, Kagami. I'm with, Haruhi."

"I know."

 _But do you love her...?_

The side of her upper lip twitched upwards in disgust while she watched Hiroshi slammed his hands on the floor as he crawled across the rug to the pile of toys that looked as though they were just dumped there for his use and amusement.

She grimaced as he rubbed his small fist into his face, sniffling. She cleared her throat and laid her hand on her stomach again. "I know you didn't necessarily ask for this, Hika... I won't force you to be apart of our babies life if you don't want to. I know you have, Hiroshu."

"Hiro _shi_."

"It's not any better."

"And I don't expect you to... do this by yourself." He grumbled, as though it was difficult to get the words out. "I'll help you. It was my fault, so I'll do everything you need me to for you."

Kagami smiled, crossing her leg and getting more comfortable. "Haruhi has no idea how lucky she is."

Hikaru didn't reply.

While that didn't go unnoticed by anyone, Haruhi and one of Hikaru's older maids were standing by the doorframe, and the entrance to the living area, mostly watching Hiroshi play by himself.

The maid raised her lip and hissed through her clenched teeth. "She's got him wrapped around her little finger, Mr. Hitachiin. He's a fool."

"That's rude, Aiko, she's hasn't done anything wrong."

"Mr. Hitachiin, forgive me, but look at her. She's giving him the eye."

Haruhi shrugged. "It's nothing." Her throat clogged up at the word. She took a deep breath and turned around, not saying to much more. "...I... I'll be back. Tell Hikaru to watch Hiroshi."

Aiko blinked, spinning on her heel so her eyes could follow her. "Where are you going?"

" _Out_. For just a little bit."

"Where to?"

She looked over her head, giving the maid a nerve-easing smile. "Don't worry. I'll be back."

Aiko followed her until she reached the front door. Haruhi grabbed the keys to one of Hikaru's cars and left after grabbing her hoodie. She hadn't said where she was going, but Aiko didn't push to ask.

Until she remembered what had happened before.

And then she was gone again.


	27. Chapter 27

**Bent Never Broken**

* * *

It didn't take long for Hikaru to notice that Haruhi had left. Aiko had informed him a few minutes after she had walked out the door, being too anxious as Hikaru was about her going anywhere.

Though she had apparently informed him too late, as Haruhi was nowhere in sight, his car was gone, his keys, her coat. She had left with no word to any of them about where she had gone.

It wouldn't have bothered him too much if she was just going outside for a walk, (with all the crap he had pulled he wouldn't be surprised if she needed air) but she hadn't.

She had left somewhere, and Hikaru was beginning to think that she had no intention of coming back.

Because she had left two hours ago, and still they had no idea where she was.

"What the fucking hell..."

"Mr. Hitachiin, please. Calm down. I'm sure she-"

"What that hell where any of you thinking letting her even out of the fucking house?"

"She said she would be right back!" Aiko pouted in defense, following Hikaru as he paced. "We have to trust Mrs. Hitachiin, I doubt she'll do something reckless. You do all that for the both of you."

"It has nothing to do with thinking she'll do something stupid." Hikaru turned, his eyes meeting hers immediately, full of furious angry. "The last time she went anywhere she was gone for nearly two years, and that was when she didn't do anything wrong."

He ran his hands through his hair as he thought about hat he said. "...Of my god. She left. They'd be pissed. Where the hell did she go?"

"I don't think Mrs. Hitachiin would do anything stupid. She knew what happened to her."

Hikaru stopped, staring at the floor with that thought hanging deep on his mind. "...She knew what happened, but I don't. She never told me. She's only been here for little over a week before leaving again... Why?"

"She didn't leave. You should have saw her. She didn't look like she had any intentions of leaving."

"The hell should I care, she doesn't want to be here anyway."

Aiko blinked, per lips parted in confusion. "What do you mean...?"

"Haruhi doesn't even want to be here." He concluded, his voice staining as he rubbed his hands into his face. "I don't know why I'm trying so hard. She hates it here, and I'm just forcing all of this on her."

"That's completely one sided, sir. Mrs. Hitachiin wouldn't-"

"What does she expect me to think?" He turned to her, his eyes burning with frustration. "She's gone for so long then she pulls this crap."

"...She left, Hiroshi. She wouldn't have gone far and for too long."

 _How long had she intended on her husband watching him?_

Just then, another maid appeared behind Aiko, frowning in concern. "Please calm down, sir. The baby is restless, no matter what I do he won't calm down. I think he's tired but I don't know what to do..."

Hikaru looked at her for a moment before turning to the floor. His vision darkened as he closed his eyes, rubbing his fingertips into his forehead. He thought he was through with feeling like this. Feeling so desperate and fidgety. Feeling the world was ending. Feeling like he had lost everything.

The emptiness was back, and it was sickening.

What did he do this time?

Not saying another word to the maids, he stepped passed them into the other room past the upstairs parlor. The screeching cries from Hiroshi could be heard around the house, letting everyone know he was distressed. He brushed shoulders with another maid who was carrying out a broken glass feeding bottle and she quickly apologized for it, but he waved her off.

He stepped into the freshly refurbished nursery and tightened his throat, hearing the baby cry and scream. He had no idea what for, but whatever the reason was, it came suddenly and was apparently very important to the young ten month old to make him so angry.

Hanging his hands from his pockets, looking towards the crib where Hiroshi clung to the bars, tears soaking his cheeks and snot making trails below his tiny button nose. His eyes were red and puffy, as he had been crying for a while with so source of comfort.

Hikaru sighed, walking up to him, though not really knowing what he could do if the female maids had no clue. He stepped up to the crib, making Hiroshi fall back on his rear onto the mattress, obviously thinking he was going to receive comfort.

His bottom lip quivered as Hikaru just stared at him instead and he started to cry again. "... _Mum_."

"I hope your mother knows that she left you with someone who barely knows how to hold you." He sighed, his brow narrowed as he hooked his arms under the baby's arms, lifting him up. He made a face immediately. "...And lets not discuss diapers."

Hiroshi whimpered. " _Mum_!"

"Mum isn't here..." Hikaru's frown deepened on his features. "Lets cooperate with each other okay?"

 _Because she's dead when I see her again._

 _If..._

Hiroshi threw himself into his fathers chest in a tantrum, Hikaru gasped and almost dropped him, but managed not to and held him tightly, though awkwardly. He held him so tight he was afraid he'd snap the chubby child in two.

"She left..." He murmured, stroking his finger over the boy's cheek, wiping his tears. "She's such a jerk. Leavening the second I turn my back."

There was pause in everything, and a heavy silence hung above his head. Hiroshi sniffled but didn't cry anymore as she settled his cheek down on his shoulder. Nothing was said before there was a tiny creak in the floor and I tiny voice behind them.

"...I'm sorry."

Hikaru almost dropped Hiroshi again, but this time because of the person speaking. He turned and his cloudy eyes met with another set, looking just the same only brown.

The baby's head shot up as he caught sight of his mother for the first time in nearly three hours. He cried out to get her attention even if she was already looking at him.

Hikaru stared at his wife who then decided to make an appearance. His eyes twitched, and he wanted so bad to open his mouth the yell at her, and express all what he was feeling while she was gone, when he couldn't see her, or knew where she was, but he didn't.

He didn't say a word to her.

Feeling Hiroshi shake with his silent sobs, Hikaru turned his gaze away from Haruhi as she stepped into the room. The baby called out to her again with a few sounds with his arms stretched out, but Hikaru ignored him, too.

Haruhi swallowed, rubbing her foot into the floor, feeling anxious against the silence. "...Hika?"

Without a word to her, nor a mere glance, Hikaru turned on his heel and once in reach, he passed the baby off to her. Hiroshi clung to her instantly, happy she was home, but Hikaru did no such thing and just left the room, not even brushing her shoulder.

And Haruhi stood there in the silence that still lingered, wondering just what she had done wrong this time.

* * *

Around twenty minutes later, Hiroshi fell asleep, Haruhi reluctantly put him back in his crib and let the room after making sure he was laying properly and had the baby-monitor switched on. She escaped the suspicious glances the maids were giving her and walked into her and Hikaru's bedroom.

She flinched as the door automatically slipped from her fingers and shut itself behind her. She bit her lip and glanced around the large bedroom until her eyes fell on her husband sitting in the chair near the window with his face in his hands.

He must have heard her come in, but just hadn't looked up.

Biting her lip, Haruhi slowly stepped up to the edge of the bed, looking over at him from across the room. "Hiroshi's asleep."

He didn't reply.

"...He was hungry, and... needed a nap, is all."

No answer.

She kneaded her fingers against her palm awkwardly. "...Are you mad at me?"

Finally, he looked up from his hands, but he stared at his palms rather than looking up at her. "...Are you out of your mind?"

"...What?"

"Is this what we've come to? The second I take my eyes off you, you run off? What the hell am I supposed to think when you're gone for two fucking hours and not telling me anything. What were you thinking?"

She blinked, pinching her lips together as she looked down at the floor. "I-... I didn't think I'd be gone that long. I lost track of the time."

"It's not just that," His voice strained as he clenched his jaw. "Its that you left regardless. You left and you didn't tell anyone where you were going."

Haruhi hesitated, her teeth sinking into the skin under her lip. "...I know. I would have... taken my car instead but... it was totaled. I shouldn't have taken your car without asking."

He felt his brain gnaw at the inside of his temple. "Don't avoid my question. I don't give a rat's ass about the car."

"...I don't understand-"

He looked up at her, his brow narrowed impossibly low in frustration. "You left without telling me. Don't you have any idea what could have happened? You know better than I do what they did before. How am I supposed to know the same people who took you away before wouldn't come and take you away again?"

Her skin felt hot. She glanced over at him but quickly looked away when she saw how angry he looked. "...I wasn't anywhere around them. I know I should have told you but... I didn't think you'd notice I was gone, I thought I'd be gone for less than half an hour, but... there was traffic and-"

"Didn't think I'd _notice_?" He stood from his chair. The lids of his eyes twitching while trying to force down tears. "I just got you back and suddenly you leave again as soon as my back's turned and you're gone the whole afternoon. Of course I'm going to notice."

"... You were talking to Kagami, I didn't want to bother you."

He shook his head, as he laid his hands on her shoulders. "You never bothered me with anything before all this. What makes you think anything you say would bother me? Especially waiting eighteen months for you to come back?"

He gripped her shoulders tighter. "After knowing what it feels like to think you're dead, you're never going to bother me. No matter what you do."

She had to bite her lip to keep it from trembling. "...I'm sorry."

"Where did you go?"

"Nowhere..." she flinched as she felt his fingers move deeper into her arms. "I didn't want to go anywhere where Katsu would. I was at my dad's apartment."

His face hardened and his arms fell to his sides instantly. "No you weren't. As soon as I knew you were gone I called Ranka, he hasn't seen you since he came over here that day."

"I know," she paused, hearing her own heart in her ears. "I went to his apartment but he wasn't there, so... I came home."

His tone took a dramatic turn and his whole body stiffened. "Is lying a habit you picked up, too?" Without thinking he grabbed her wrist, pulling her close so their eyes met. "Your father was home when I called. I called everyone, no one's seen you since you got back."

She stared into his dark eyes almost fearfully, not moving a muscle.

"Where were you?"

Frozen to the floor, she still didn't say anything.

 _"Where were you?"_

 _She glared, ripping her hands from his tight grasp. "I don't need to tell you where I go. You brought me here, I never wanted to stay here."_

 _"Where else to you have to go? You're not wanted anywhere else."_

 _"Home."_

 _"This is your home now, you're never going back," Keiichi laid his hand on the front of her shoulder before shoving her into the closest wall. "You're not allowed to leave. You knew that. You're never supposed to leave."_

 _His other hand struck her cheek. The echo in her ears of skin hitting skin stung. She slid down the wall, her knees hitting the floor from the shock. She had never been hit before. Her cheek swelled almost immediately._

That memory made her stand there dumbly. She blinked and Hikaru was still staring at her. His strong hands held her biceps, holding her close, just waiting for her to say something.

She closed her mouth as soon as she realized she had left it open. Tears threatened to fall as she stared into this face that was practically begging for an answer, but she tightened her jaw and just shook her head.

"I'm sorry."

"That's not an answer, Haruhi."

Her stomach curled. Rubbing her thumbs into her forefingers, she swallowed a large lump in her throat. "...I didn't want to tell you."

His grasp on her loosened. "...What?"

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want to." She repeated, her tone a little firmer. "I didn't want you to tell me I couldn't leave, and I didn't want you to follow me."

Then, he looked genuinely offended, as though she had just pierced his heart with the sharpest dagger. "...Why?"

"I was upset... and I wanted to be alone."

"But _where_ did you go?"

"Nowhere. I just drove."

His hands dropped from her again, and she stood up straight. He didn't want to look at her, but right now, as his world feet as though it was crumbling more than it already had, he couldn't leave without getting to know what he needed to know.

"Is that classified, too?" He grumbled, taking a step back. "I can't know what happened to you, or why you were gone for as long as you were? I can't know the reason why you suddenly get up and leave me alone with a baby who I don't even know how to take care of? Is this how it's going to be from now on?"

"No one ever said that."

"You're making it feel that way."

For the first time in awhile, her nose curled and she growled back in defense. "I just don't want to talk about it, and I left because I didn't want to be in the same room with _her_."

His face fell. "...Kagami?"

"I just..." She stopped again, trying to control her cracking tone. "It isn't Kagami, I don't care about her. It's us. I leave for so long, and when I come back there's someone... _else_. She's pregnant and everything's so different. I don't feel..."

She paused again, glancing towards him. "I don't belong here anymore."

After that slipped passed her lips, he didn't give her a chance to say anything more before he cupped her cheeks in his hands, tilting her face up more so he could look down right into her eyes.

"I don't know where you got that idea from but you belong her just as much as everyone else," he said, tangling his fingers in the hair behind her ears. "You belong here just as much as the foundation in the house does. Don't ever say that again."

He massaged his fingertips into her skin, comfortingly. "But... that's if you even want to be here."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want to think I took you away from something that you... deep down, liked. I don't want to feel like I'm forcing you to be here. If you're uncomfortable with-"

"Hikaru... do you love Kagami?"

His expression took an immediate turn to disgust. "Ew. God. No. No! Why would you even think that?" His raised his lip. "...Ew."

"You just seem really relaxed when you talk to her is all, and..." Haruhi glanced at the floor before turning to him again. "You guys kinda... made _things_ together at one point so-"

"That doesn't mean anything!" He pouted. He frowned as he brought her closer to his chest. "It was an accident. Everything I did with her was an accident and I regret it. I've only loved one person in my whole life and I married her."

Her eyes widened. "What have you done exactly while I've been gone? What are you? Do you have like... five wives I don't know about?"

"I was talking about you!"

"...But you said you didn't anymore." Again, she felt his hands on her arms, holding her tight. "You said you wanted to love me again, which pretty much means that you don't anymore."

Snorting, a smile grew across his lips which, a smile that big hadn't touched since he had gone to Katsu's house. He struggled even, trying not to laugh.

"I was stupid," he uttered, moving his hands to her hair, musing it between his fingers. "I forgot. I was without you for so long that I forgot how much you mean to me. Being alone makes you forget a lot of things like that."

"But you weren't alone, everyone was here with you and, Kagami."

"Kagami isn't you."

Inching closer to her, He took advantage of the silence that fell over them, to wrap his arms around her waist. He pulled her into his arms and held her tight, stuffing his nose into her faded blonde hair. He moved one hand to cup under her chin, but before he could go any further she stopped him.

"In that case," Haruhi grumbled, now irritated. "Your fake girlfriend messed up my spice cabinet in the kitchen."

He laughed, petting her hair as he brought her close again. "I'll talk to her about it."

"No, I'm serious. I don't think she knows how to read."

He kissed her forehead. "We'll fix it."

 _Along with everything else._

* * *

"But I don't want you to go."

"Technically you're the one leaving."

"But I have the baby," Mokoto argued, gripping her husband's hands. "You'll be all alone. Who'll take care of you?"

Kaoru grinned, cupping her face in his hands. "It'll be okay. I'm a big boy."

"No you're not." Her hands gestured to all of him She frowned at their shoes as his hand played with her hair. "Do we have to go? You're hurt, how come you can't go too? It's not like you have work to do. You're not even supposed to move around."

"But I still have to have contact with the outside world." He shrugged, entwining their fingers, pulling her a little closer. "You don't. If I go then there's no point for a safe house."

"I don't want to leave you alone..."

"It'll be okay, I promise.

She glared.

"Mo, it was one time."

"But don't say it like that! You could jinx it this time and I'd be away and I'd never know!"

He sighed, tilting her face up so she was looking at him in the face. "If you want, you could talk to the microwave and tell it not to shoot me. Maybe you should have a few words with the washing machine too it's seems to have something against me."

Her expression didn't change. "I'm serious," she whined childishly, slipping her hands down to the hem of his shirt, brushing her fingers against his tender side. "You're hurt, I don't want to leave. If you can stay in the apartment and be fine so can I."

"I won't be in the apartment, I'm going to the mansion."

Her wrinkled her nose, slipping her hands into his shirt behind his back. "Then what am I going to Bunko for?"

He pressed his finger to her lips. "Kyouya said it would be better, you know so many people know where we live. They're dangerous people we can't stay there."

"I don't know why I have to be somewhere away from you," she grumbled, gripping his shirt tight in her hands. "can't we leave together?"

"I can't leave Adachi," his voice lowered, and his chest tightened as he continued to look at her face. "I just want you to be safe. I don't care about me."

"Yeah," she agreed solemnly, glancing down at his side again. "I know."

He gave her a reassuring smile and cupped her face again in his soft hands, laying a small kiss on her lips. He pulled away when their kiss was interrupted by a sniffle.

"Moko! Don't cry, you'll make me cry too."

Mokoto didn't give him time to pull away completely as she threw her arms around his neck. "My hormones are all messed up."

He hugged her back, stuffing his nose into her hair. "I'm sorry. It'll only be for... Maybe a month, just in case."

"Call me."

"I'll call everyday and night." Kissed her forehead, then her cheek, down her jaw, until he reached her lips again. "I'll text so much you'll get sick of me."

She breathed deeply into his chest. "Don't be too lonely at night."

"That can't be helped." Kaoru rested his hand on her stomach as he kissed her one more time before holding her out at arms length. "I'll miss you."

She glanced over her shoulder towards a small black car. "...Are you sure you won't be able to come over?"

"Maybe occasionally but I don't want anyone to figure out where you guys are."

"...Okay."

"Don't give me that look, I don't like this either."

She sighed, adjusting her shirt that was growing too small for her roundness. "Alright...Behave yourself."

"Fine." He curled his finger under her chin to kiss her one more time. "I love you."

"I'd love you a little more if I wasn't going."

He laughed. "Don't give me attitude."

On the other side of the car, Haruhi was standing beside her own husband as he talked with the driver who was taking her and Mokoto to some safe house in Adachi. She was thankful it was still in Tokyo, but after just getting home two weeks ago, she didn't want to go anywhere else for awhile.

She bit her lip and glanced towards Hikaru. She hugged Hiroshi close to her chest as the clod wind picked up and stepped closer to his side as a car drove by on the road.

Hiroshi made a sound but after his complaint was not answered he gave up quickly and laid his face back down on her shoulder, mumbling something in baby language.

"It's not too far but it's far enough away from the house and your office and they won't find it," Hikaru muttered, staring at the ground with his hands in his pockets. "It's isolated near a bunch of soybean farms."

He turned to look at her. "Kyouya hired a few men to stay there with you guys for security. I wouldn't have you out in the middle of nowhere alone anyway."

She just nodded, not returning his gaze as she stroked Hiroshi's thick hair between her fingers. "...Is this necessary? It all seems a bit extreme."

"It's fine, as long as I know where you are." His voice stiffened. "Don't think you'll be trapped in a house all day everyday. It's a small farmhouse with fifteen aches of gardens. Everything will be brought there. You can have everything and not even have to leave the front yard."

"...We're allowed to go outside? Wouldn't that attract unwanted attention?"

He raised his brow, moving Hiroshi's blanket over his shoulder. "It's not prison, Haruhi. It's witness protection. I just want to make sure you're safe a hundred percent. I can't guarantee that with you staying in places where they know you'll be."

He exhaled, dropping his shoulders. "I don't want them to find you."

"What about, Kagami?"

"Those men have no connection with her whatsoever, she'll be fine."

"I meant... since she's... pregnant, is she staying at the house?"

He grabbed her elbow, forcing her to turn to look at him. "Occasionally maybe, but that doesn't mean anything. I made a mistake and I'm taking responsibility or it, there's nothing between me and her. I have you."

"I just meant..."

"Did you get your bag?"

"...The maids got it for me."

"Call me when you get there. Make sure you aren't being followed. Kyouya apparently wanted to get the most suspicious car in all of Tokyo."

She shrugged. "It came with the bodyguards."

He furrowed his brow and let his hand drop. He adjusted the blanket on his son's shoulder and stepped back. "You should probably go. You don't want it to be dark by the time you reach the house, you'll need to get settled in."

She nodded, turning away from him. She clung tightly to Hiroshi as she packed him into his car seat in the middle of the car. Not looking twice at Hikaru as he held the door open.

Once the baby was settled into his buckle, she stood up, stretching. She didn't say anything to him and zipped her hoodie up near her chin. "...Hika?"

"Yes, Haruhi?"

"...I dunno," she stopped, looking back into the car. "I'll talk to you later."

He nodded. Gripping the car door, he glanced over to the other side where his brother and Mokoto were taking their time with their goodbyes, then glanced inside to look at Hiroshi, who's lips were starting to turn a little purple from the cold breeze. He began to shut the door but he stopped.

His heart felt as though it was being weighed down by a ball and chain. He wanted this all to be over, but simply wishing it wouldn't make it come true. He had to put a stop to It. He had to find out why this happened and how.

But not right now.

She had her shoulder turned to him, as she was sitting in the seat beside the car seat and was tending to the baby, making sure he was shielded enough from the cold that blew in from the open door. She turned around, ready to ask her husband why he was just standing there with the door open, but her words were caught dead in her throat before she could even open her mouth, as grabbed her arm again, but this time to pull her close, and in this case, it was very close, as he slipped into the car beside her and pulled her onto his lap.

Her eyes were wide as she turned over, sitting on his in utter confusion.

"...Hikar-"

Hushing her as all he did as he shoved his hand into the back of her hair. She became limb instantly as he brought her lips against his. Her body stiffened as his hands moved from her hair to her arms, caressing her skin gently yet holding her tight. Her hands had nothing else to do but help support her against the seat of the car.

He grabbed her face as he kissed her. He was pressing her against him and his lips were rough. She gasped as they parted but he barely gave her time to breathe before kissing her again. Both his hands went behind her neck, pulling her even closer until she was flush against his chest, even in the limited space they had between the closed door and the car seat.

His skin tingled as his tongue slipped between her lips, causing her to inhale in surprise. He didn't stop, as he moved his hands down her front, sliding his cold hands inside her hoodie, having only the thin fabric of her shirt hide her bare skin from his. She shivered from his touch but didn't move an inch away from him.

He let her breath finally as his lips moved down, trailing an invisible path down the side of her neck. His hot breath tickled her pulse point.

"I've missed you so much."

She nodded, panting lightly, allowing him to kiss wherever he wanted. "Oh, Hikaru."

"I don't want you to go anywhere." He practically begged between their lips. "I want you next to me. I don't want to live another second without you."

She just nodded, feeling his teeth toy with her lower lip. "I don't want to leave you ever again."

He wanted to talk, but he wanted to kiss her. He wanted to kiss every inch of her. Inches he couldn't touch for so long, and refused to for even longer. "I don't want to loose you. _Ever_... But I don't get to choose."

His lips became softer, and he pulled at her hair more gently. Her hands were on his shoulders, and his heart ached. How many other lips and hands had touched and kissed her. He didn't want to think of the numbers. He just wanted her, and very suddenly, he decided that he never wanted to let her go.

"I love you, Haruhi."

 _I love you so much._

* * *

"...I don't like this."

Hikaru looked away from the car that was driving away and shifted his gaze to his brother, who stood beside him, handing deep inside his pockets.

He shrugged and looked away again. "It's better this way. We can't trust anyone being alone out in the open until we find those bastards."

Kaoru pouted, feeling his pain medication fading. "It doesn't feel right. They're so far away. I'd feel better if they stayed here."

"It's not safe."

"No where's safe. You said those people are capable of anything. If they can figure out where I live, and where you live, and where Haruhi worked, who's to say there isn't people watching us right now. How can we know for sure that they're safe anywhere?"

"That's what sucks about it." Hikaru turned around, signaling their driver. "...We _can't_."


	28. Chapter 28

**My Safe Haven**

* * *

"This is ridiculous."

Kaoru slowly looked away from the table where everyone was sitting and stared at his brother who was drowning in stress.

Kyouya glanced around the whole table before looking back down at his computer, which he had pulled up many tabs concerning his force's investigation.

Haruhi and Mokoto had been taken to the safe house three days ago. Neither Hikaru or Kaoru slept very well. For Kaoru it was mostly the help from his medication that he got any sleep at all, though Hikaru purposely had been taking sleeping pills just so he could get his eyes closed.

It had taken a toll on everyone. Kyouya had been considering putting all the girls in a safe house just so they wouldn't have to worry about anyone else turning up missing. With Haruhi's capturers nowhere to be found, it wasn't safe for anyone. And even in the safe house, they couldn't be sure they would even be safe there.

It was as Kaoru said.

No one was safe anywhere.

What kind of life do you have when you can even be sure you're safe in your own home?

Laying his elbows on the table, Hikaru leaned over, resting his forehead on his palms. Being too tired to even hold his own head up.

"How..." he groaned, "how did they even know where she worked in the first place? Who told them where Kaoru's apartment was? How do these people even know so much about everyone?"

"That's another question that we have no answer to right now." Kyouya replied, irritated that he couldn't answer anything logically.

"Finding Haruhi's firm couldn't be that hard. She's surrounded by millionaires. Her whole adult life has been filled with cameras and publicity. There's paparazzi's around every corner. The Hitachiin's have been the center for most of it since the beginning."

"I get that," Hikaru whined, pressing his fingertips to his temple. "but why? No one knows why these people even wanted Haruhi. Mokoto was just a distraction. They wanted Haruhi and I want to know why."

Kaoru leaned against the back rest of his chair, laying his hand over his injured side.

"They used Mokoto so we would worry about something else other than, Haruhi. But why Mokoto?" He asked. "Is it something against the whole Hitachiin family? Because it could have been anyone. Honestly, the whole country would have made a bigger fuss and forgotten all about Haruhi if they had kidnapped, Tamaki."

Tamaki gave Kaoru a strange look. "I'd hate to say this right now, but maybe it's because Haruhi and Mokoto are... _commoners_."

Hikaru, despite his headache, found the energy to glare. "Is that necessary?"

"No, look... Haruhi and Mokoto, even if they're apart of the luxury, they're still middle class, and do middle class things. They both work middle class jobs, in middle class areas. None of us were taken because kidnapping them is so much easier."

Kyouya adjusted his glasses. "Tamaki's right."

"They choose not to have daily security. It's a nuisance," Hikaru grumbled, staring a hole through the table. "but that still doesn't answer our question. Just because they were able to take them because of how easy it is, that doesn't mean they _had_ to. They didn't _have_ to take anyone."

"And I don't think they have anything personal against the family," he added. "if they did, they would have tried to get rid of all of us. They had the opportunity to kill all four of us. Hibiki had a gun to the both of us in the room. He made it sound like he wasn't allowed to kill me, but he was all for shooint Haruhi, with no second thought either."

"I don't understand then," Huni pouted, resting his chin on his pillowed arms. "If they didn't care about Haru-chan, why would they take her in the first place?"

Tamaki glowered in thought. "Maybe he did what they wanted with her earlier and no longer needed her?"

Mori shook his head. Just as much in the dark as everyone. "No... Katsu shot Kaoru because he was mad we were taking Haruhi away."

"Katsu shot Kaoru thinking he was me." Hikaru corrected him.

Tamaki groaned, hiding his face in his hands. "But Hibiki didn't want to hurt you, so why would Katsu want to shoot you? Didn't you say Hibiki was making it a game? He spun the barrel of the gun, not knowing where the bullet was. Even he wasn't sure which one of you he was going to hit."

"Hibiki knew damn well which socket the bullet was in. He did it all for a reaction. He wanted me to watch him kill Haruhi but he also wanted it to be entertaining. He's mental. He knew he wasn't allowed to kill me, for whatever reason that is. It was all for game."

The tall blond sighed. "But Katsu, whoever that guy is in all this, he... he shot Kaoru, so... what does that mean? He can kill Kaoru but he can't kill you?"

"Kaoru was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Katsu was aiming for me. He was looking at me the whole time."

"So that's our new question then," Kyouya muttered, peering above his laptop screen. "This isn't about Haruhi, Mokoto, or the Hitachiin family in general. It's about, Hikaru."

Hikaru gave him a childish scowl. "But I didn't do anything. Why would they take Haruhi if they had a problem with me?"

"Maybe..." Kaoru spoke more to himself rather than anyone else. "maybe it _was_ about, Hikaru. Maybe they took Haruhi to get to you emotionally."

"Why hurt me emotionally when they could've have done it physically?"

"Maybe they figured they be hurting you more by taking Haruhi away?" Kaoru suggested. "You ruined your own life when they took Haruhi. Maybe they just wanted you to suffer. They didn't want you dead."

"Okay... but... Why? What have I done to them that would make them want me to suffer? How would they know to take Haruhi? How they hell did they get this sort of information?"

The room was silent once that question was felt hanging in the air. Everyone thought to themselves, asking and answering their own questions before saying anything out loud. The only thing they heard was the light tapping Kyouya was making from the keys of his computer.

Kaoru clutched his cellphone in his hand inside his pocket. He wanted to text Mokoto, but he had decided against it. He had told her he'd contact her, but he knew that wasn't a good idea to do so, so often.

Whoever took her away from him obviously was capable of doing so, so much more. Maybe hiring a professional hacker to hack into the phone lien, enabling them to find the location where they were hiding.

At this point, he didn't care if she was upset with him over something so little. He just wanted her to be safe.

He didn't know what he'd do with himself if she got hurt, and even now, thinking back on when he had gotten hit.

Was he really in the wrong place at the wrong time? Maybe he was in the perfect place at just the right time. If it wasn't him, it wouldn't have been someone else.

The fact that it was him and no one else is what made him feel just a little better about the whole thing.

"Look at this," Kyouya suddenly ordered, turning his laptop to Hikaru. "It's an old interview."

"Of?" Hikaru muttered, frowning as he pulled the screen closer. "What's it about?"

"You." Kyouya said plainly. "It's three years old. Considering the date the reporter has on it, I'm guessing it was a pointless interview during the week of yours and Haruhi's first wedding anniversary."

Hikaru sighed, resting his cheek on his fist as he scrolled down the screen, skimming through the words carelessly. "I barely even remember this interview. There was so much during those times. Three years ago we launched our latest business themed clothes line."

"They documented your words. Keep reading."

Hikaru read on, not thinking too much of anything. His eyes hurriedly moved over line after line. Some questions he was asked about the clothes line, thought he wasn't interested until the reporter asked him about, Haruhi."

 _'"Most of our inspiration comes from our girls," he smirked'_ it read, '"They're both so professional. We just thought of what they'd look cuter in when going to work."'

 _'"You're both newly married," the reporter asked. "after being bachelors and having so much free time going to being married for almost a year... are your schedules more packed? Having more responsibility and less time to concentrate on work?"'_

 _'"It makes work more fun," he answered. "Ours schedules don't get crammed mostly cause there's two of us, and our parents so there isn't ever too much work for one person."'_

 _'"Most people with your kind of busy career say it's a real strain on a marriage." The reporter questioned. "It's been a year now. Would you say it's been difficult? How do you keep your life so stable?"_

 _He hesitated before speaking again. "...My wife is what keeps everything between us and our work, stable. There's no strain between us and my job. She's the most important person in my life, and most likely always will be. If there ever is a strain I'd choose her over everything."_

Hikaru stopped reading, as nothing else on Haruhi was mentioning and shot Kyouya a look of pure and utter confusion. "Okay.. And? What does this have to do with anything? Did I piss the reporter off? Is she the boss of their whole organization then? I don't get it."

"Apparently yours and Haruhi's marriage is a real inspiration, because this interview and many others are rather popular." Kyouya said, pulling his computer back. "What I'm guessing is that someone has something against you personally, you in particular I mean, and to get to you, they took Haruhi. Which would explain the reason why they took her, but didn't care if they killed her off or not."

"Is that what we're concluded?" Huni muttered loud enough for everyone to hear. "Hika-chan did something to someone, they got angry, and to get back at him."

"They took Haruhi, but even after a year, and knowing that we were getting closer to finding her," Tamaki said. "they took Moko-chan so we'd get distracted. And they decided later on killing Hika-chan but failed and shot Kao-chan instead."

"But..." he furrowed his brow. "Why go through all the trouble when they could have... gotten to Hikaru directly?"

"Katsu was the only one out of them who wanted me dead. No one else did." Hikaru said. "Haruhi said he claimed that he was in love with her. I tried to take her back and he didn't like it so he tried to kill me right then and there, figuring if he couldn't have her no one else could. But... he must have thought Kaoru was me."

"I guess we found our next question then.." Tamaki figured. "'What the hell did you do to make them so angry?'"

Hikaru didn't say anything.

* * *

"Mr. Hitachiin, I don't think this is a place for you. He's under quarantine now, and we have it all under control."

Hikaru stared into the blank eyes of the officer he stood in front of, but what he said meant nothing to him.

"I don't care," he muttered, signaling him out of his way. "I have something to say to him."

The guard officer gave an uneasy breath as he pulled out the keys on his waist. "My boss isn't going to like it."

"Just open the door."

"Can I be sure no funny business will go on?"

Hikaru shrugged, glaring as the officer let him pass. "Believe me. Everything I could possibly dream of doing to him is nothing of amusing."

"Fair enough."

The metal slid door to the interrogation room clinked loudly. The thick chain lock slammed against the metal, making his shoulders cringe. The officer lead him through it, down the narrow hallway that was lined with thick one-way mirrors. Their heavy footsteps echoed eerily but they ignored it.

It had been another day, another sleepless night, another seat of uneaten meals, and another handful of Ambien for him, and he didn't want to be nice anymore. He didn't want unanswered questions swimming around on his head. He had been eating Ibuprofen like candy, and from all the over-the-counter medication he had gotten himself sick.

He barely felt human as is, on top of the stress, caused by not knowing what as going to happen the next day, or the next hour, or what could happen after taking another breath. He didn't know who these people were, what they could do, or who they would do it to next.

He couldn't protect his family. He couldn't ever be sure they wouldn't get hurt again. At least not until they find who started this, and stop them.

The officer sent him a look that told him to be careful, but Hikaru ignored it. He wasn't paying attention anything but what was in front of him as he stepped through another door that was opened for him.

It was the main interrogation room, and his eyes instantly fell on Hibiki, who sat handcuffed in a chair. His shaggy dark hair shadowed his eyelids, but his cocky smirk was in plain sight.

"Look who decided to pay a visit."

Hikaru struggled with himself to keep his hands in his pockets. "Not much _ass kicking_ you can do in that _chair_ , _huh_?"

Hibiki leaned against the uncomfortable chair and sighed. "What did you come here to pick a fight with me for? What is that going to prove to you?"

"I wish I could get them to give you the death penalty just for you opening your mouth," Hikaru whispered venom. "I want you to tell me everything you know. I already want your blood _raw_ on my hands, don't you dear try to lie to me."

The man chuckled darkly, his hands cuffed behind his back. "If I'm not going to tell anything to a man in a uniform, what makes you think I'll say anything to _you_?"

"I was hoping we'd be able to cut out the middle man."

"I'm not a rat, Hitachiin. I was hoping you'd have figured that out." Hibiki

"As much as I want every single one of you dead, if you tell me who paid you to do it, I'll see what I can do to reduce your sentence," Hikaru urged, clenching his hands tight against the fabric in his shirt, "Scratch that, you deserve everything that's coming to you. Just answer me truthfully and I'll think about not beating you to a bloody pulp right now."

"You talk awfully high," he glared, leaning forward, "for a man with nothing behind him. You think just because you're mad you can do all this damage. You're a fashion designer with nothing behind you. You let Katsu get the best of you, you let your brother shot, and Haruhi..."

Hikaru felt his blood boil as his shadowed smirk grew larger.

"...You let them take her away right from under your nose."

"You were in on it too. Just because you're in custody doesn't mean you're innocent." He slammed his hands on the table, easing closer to Hibiki's face. "You were just as much involved in it as anyone else you know is, if not more. I'm sick and tired of constantly being mocked. _Who_ do you work for?"

"Who said we worked for anyone?"

"Don't tell me with a group as large as yours doesn't have anyone you work for. You have connections with the Yakuza. And someone, not even you, has no reason to kidnap innocent woman unless you were paid to do it. Even if it has something to do that's against me."

Hibiki's smirk finally flattened into a frown. and he inched away from Hikaru's aggressive glare. "No one ever said it had anything to do with you. Maybe we just wanted your wife. Katsu's always seemed so taken with her."

"Haruhi's never seen Katsu before in her life before you took her." Hikaru wouldn't give. He leaned closer to him as he leaned further back. "And that's true what did you want Mokoto for?"

"...Who?"

"Don't play dumb with me."

"Oh wait... yes, you're sister-in-law," Hibiki breathed, not taking his eyes off the ginger in front of him. "I told you, she was completely for distraction purposes only."

"You're sickening."

"I never said I kidnapped anyone." He defended, tilting his head, rapping his heel against the cold concrete floor. "I just made sure they stayed gone."

"Then you're just as guilty!"

"And I would have gotten away with it, to, " He muttered sarcastically, "had it not been for you rotten rich people and your damn determination."

"Dammit, stop toying with me!" He clutched the orange collar of Hibiki's shirt. The officer in the corner nearly jumped out of his chair as Hikaru practically ripped Hibiki from his seat.

"Fucking get to the point already, I'm sick of trying to work around your childish attitude." Hikaru cursed, he held his shirt until the officer decided to pull them apart. "Just say who the hell told you to do it."

Hibiki furrowed his brow as he was jerked back into his chair. "What for? You wouldn't know him."

"I don't care if I'd know him. I just need his name."

"No amount of verbal, or physical harassment is going to make me say anything." Hibiki said firmly, now nothing but serious. "No one will say a thing. Getting anything out of anyone associated with me is impossible, just as impossible as it is at finding them."

Hikaru stared at him, anger written all over his face. "You don't know what we're capable of either," Figuring it was now pointless and a waste of his time, he adjusted his jacket and turned around. Though Hibiki's voice didn't come back no later than a few seconds after he was halfway out the door.

"I will say this," He muttered, loud enough that it made Hikaru turn around again. He was nonetheless irritated by his usual cocky smirk.

"He's been under your nose this _whole_ time."

With that, the officer escorted Hikaru out of the room, and he was left with that last thought clawing at his mind.

He didn't know who he meant, but he chose then not to think about it too much. He had other work to do, and he couldn't get distracted.

 _Under... my nose this whole time...?_

 _Who?_

Who and Why?

The two questions he just couldn't find the answer to yet.

In the front seat of his car, he slammed his hand against the steering wheel and rested his face in his hands, rubbing his fingers against his temples to relieve his medication induced headache.

The stress was eating him alive. He hadn't ever wanted to hurt someone so badly before. Never in his life had he thought about doing anything horrible to anyone. Though now, while he sat there, thinking what they could do, he knew somewhere, whoever was responsible for it, was holding the same smug expression Hibiki wore.

While not knowing how to keep everyone safe, some man was determined to make his life a living hell by taking away the only people who actually meant something to him.

And suddenly, thinking of the unknown man's face, his smirk, and his future intentions, Hikaru wanted nothing more than to put a stop to them himself.

The car was silent as he dug into the center console and grabbed his small bottle of Tylenol.

* * *

Another day passed, with nothing exciting at all happening. It was late, thought the moon was shadowed behind thick heavy clouds.

Raindrops trailed down the murky windows. It was pure silence outside in the large fields, the breeze was only a slight whistle through the slits in the treetops. Though inside the small, four bedroom farmhouse, the baby had just been put down after screaming bloody murder for an hour.

Haruhi breathed deeply as she stared at the ten month old sleeping. She leaned against the edge of the bassinet and ran her finger raw against his soft cheek. His breathing was light with a thin blanket pulled up to his shoulders.

Nothing at all had been going on for the couple of days she had been there, away from everyone. It was quiet with just her Mokoto , Hiroshi and the guards they were assigned, but the peacefulness was comforting. She would rather have it peaceful and have nothing happening, than have what she had less than a month ago.

She would rather have anything than what she had then. No matter what it was.

If only she could have her old life back. When it was perfect.

Those days though, they were ordinary and was just... life. When she was kidnapped, and was denied to go home, she realized ordinary was perfect, and she never wanted to leave it, ever again.

Haruhi adjusted the buttons of her night shirt (one she had stolen from her husband's drawer) and tightened the strings on her sweatpants (which somehow were also Hikaru's) so they wouldn't fall down and turned to the direction of her temporary bed. To get a few hours of sleep before Hiroshi would wake up again for no particular reason.

Just as she sat on the edge of the bed, she thought she heard a quiet thump on the door. She looked up and didn't hear it again so she grabbed the pillow that was at the foot of the bed and brought it up to the top.

The cold air that swept in from the tiny slits in under the windows touched her bare feet and she threw the blankets over her legs. She contemplated on puling out a book she had brought with her, but decided against it, as her eyelids burned with exhaustion.

There was another slight tap that came from the large window, on he outside, she turned to it. The curtains were closed but through the cracks in the blinds she could only see the tree branches tapping the glass.

Her spine shivered as she heard the floorboards outside in the hall creak, but put her fearful thoughts aside, thinking it was only, Mokoto. Haruhi gave one more concerned glance towards the bassinet before getting comfortable in bed again.

Her fingertips brushed against the beaded string switch to the lamp, intending on turning it off. But there were more tapping and they grew closer to the door. She threw the blankets off again and a electric shock sensation struck her toes as she touched the cold floor.

The room wasn't large, so it didn't take her very long to reach the door. Now the footsteps were distinct, and heavy. Her heart began thumping hard, but as she went to open the door, the knob jiggled under her hand.

She glanced back at Hiroshi, but he reminded asleep. She fidgeted and turned back to the door, but it had opened from the other side.

And before she could even register what it was, strong arms eloped her and she was pulled to wet leather but a warm embrace.

She parted her lips to call out to the officers that were downstairs, but all sound was taken from her as another pair of lips sealed around hers. She whimpered but couldn't pull away even if she tried, as large hands cupped her face, holding her tight.

The balls of her feet left the floor as they lifted her up, but didn't move. Their arm moved behind her back and the other held her head so she couldn't move. Moments later their tongue skillfully tried to sneak past her teeth but she jerked away and stumbled backwards. Saved only by their arms that held her upright.

"Sorry, that was rough." A hushed voice whispered. "...It's been a long day."

Haruhi looked back up, blinking widely at her husband's face that looked back at her. "...Hika?"

Hikaru gave a deep breath, moving his palms from her arms to her hands, lacing their fingers so tight her knuckles ached. He ripped his sunglasses off that he had been wearing, and as they fell to the floor somewhere Haruhi threw her arms around his neck before he could explain himself.

"Don't do that to me," she complained, stuffing her nose into the crook of his neck, hiding her face in the tips of his hair. "It's past midnight, you nearly gave me a heart attack."

"I'm sorry," he pressed his lips against her hair, holding her flush against him and his wet jacket. "I was going to come tomorrow, but... I didn't want to wait that long."

"You didn't want to wait a couple of hours?"

"I wanted to see you."

She tightened her hold on him. "And you decide that when you're supposed to be in bed?"

"I couldn't sleep," he pouted, tangling his fingers in her brown locks, smelling her musky shampoo. "I haven't been able to sleep. I've missed you. I didn't want you to leave."

Her hands slipped over his shoulders, slipping his jacket off for him. It hit the floor and he moved his arms around her waist, gripping her shirt in his hands as her hand fluffed up his bangs that were damp against his forehead.

He cupped her face again, more gently this time and kissed her. His lips kissed her nose, her chin, and down her jaw, stopping only when his cheek brushed against the collar of her shirt that hung around the base of her neck.

"I was... thinking about you, earlier," she managed between their lips, as he kissed her again, over, and over again.

"I haven't stopped thinking about you since the day you left." Hikaru tilted her face, kissing along her cheek. His hot breath grazing her ear. "I want you to come home."

"...I don't have to stay here."

"You're safer here than anywhere else," his fingers tucked under the hem of the baggy shirt she wore. "I don't want you getting hurt."

"You won't let me get hurt."

"Sometimes it's not that easy. I can't protect you like I thought I could."

Haruhi frowned, pressing her face into his chest, against his warm shirt. "I never thought that you couldn't."

Hikaru sighed, running his fingers up and down her back, with only the thin fabric of her shirt shielded her warm skin from his cold hands. "Even after what's happened?"

"You couldn't have done anything about it. I don't blame you for what they did."

"I can't concentrate on anything else," he muttered, feeling her hand on his cheek. "I was hoping after seeing you again I'd sleep better at night knowing that you're okay no matter what. You're more concerned about me than you are for yourself and nothings even happened to me."

"You think too much," her short nails tickled his skin, as she outlined his jaw, running his finger down the front of his chest until his shirt stopped her. "And you're so pale, and look so tired. It's not my fault."

"It's not like I'm still with them," she continued, buttoning his button-up, revealing his undershirt. "You know where I am. You're not an officer, you're my husband. You don't have to try so hard."

He frowned, his bangs falling over his eyes. "It's not that simple."

"You're making it more complicated than it has to be."

"...I just don't want you ever having to go through any of that again. I want get back at them for ever doing it in the first place."

"But you don't have to," her hands continued working on his shirt until it fell from his arms and landed in the same place as his jacket. Leaving him in just a t-shirt. "you don't need revenge. Isn't having everyone safe enough? You can't sleep because you're too worried about what _could_ happen. Who's to say it will anyway?"

He tried to defend his efforts but all works caught dead in his throat as the cold air struck his bare arms, and it wasn't until just then he realized he was no longer as clothed as he was a few minutes ago.

He let out a long breath as he felt her warm digits touch the sensitive spot behind his neck.

"I just want you to be safe," he breathed, not knowing any other way to explain himself. "and you're not."

"But I'm safe with you." She argued, her voice practically a whisper.

He curled a finger beneath her chin, tilting her face up until their lips touched. The space between them didn't last long as his arms came around her again, her chest leveling with his own. He molded his palms to her cheeks, deepening their kiss further, and toying with her lower lip with his teeth.

"I've missed this," she spoke during a break to breathe. "I've missed you so much. And I thought about you all the time-" he continued to kiss her, as though to make up for the times he couldn't. "Even when they told me not to."

"You have no idea how sick I felt the first night," he kissed her harder, pulling her impossibly close. "when you didn't come home, when you wouldn't answer your phone when I called," his trailed another path of tiny kissed down her the side of her neck. "A part of me died when they said you had gotten hurt and wouldn't ever come home."

He stopped everything when he felt something small and warm touch his cheek. He pulled away slightly only when he saw that her tears were falling onto his shoulder.

She clenched his shirt, her face still cradled in his hands. "I thought I wasn't going to see you again, and... you'd never know about Hiroshi. So many people told me so many different things, I don't know what's true or not. I never know that one day I'll just wake up and coming back was all apart of a dream and I'll still be there."

"Katsu wanted to move to Hong Kong," her throat tightened, as he stoked her hair, holding her face against his chest."In two months he would have and he didn't have any intentions on coming back to Japan. He said everything you say but of a completely different meaning, I didn't-"

"You don't have to go back to him. You never have to go anywhere else ever again," Hikaru assured, petting her hair flat. "And as much as I want to hurt everyone involved in this, you're more important. I don't want you to be scared."

Haruhi frowned as she wiped her eye, not liking getting emotional for no reason. "Does that mean... you're leaving?"

He smirked, wiping under her other eyes. "Not with that face."

"Are you coming to bed then?"

"Is that why you undressed me?"

She shrugged, sparing his discarded clothes a glance. "Well if you said no I just figured I could knock you out and tie your hands together with your own belt so you couldn't leave."

He chuckled, pulling her close moving her hands away form his belt. "I think I'd be the real winner in that situation."

"Yeah, you'd probably enjoy it more than you should."

And with that, it didn't take Haruhi to actually get him into bed with her. He and she were already tired from past events that had happen in such a small amount of time that after just laying their entangled, Haruhi had fallen asleep, with her head resting against the crook of his arm, and Hiroshi not making a single noise.

With the feeling of the heat from her body on top of him, and knowing that the next morning he's have to leave, it took Hikaru awhile to fall asleep. He knew he shouldn't have went there. He knew that he should have tried harder against the urge to see them. He could have stuck it out but he couldn't and he didn't want to.

And even if it was late, far later than midnight, when he had finally fallen asleep... that night, was the best sleep he had in the last nineteen months.


	29. Chapter 29

**Deceived The Broken**

* * *

Two more weeks had passed, and they were no where close to finding answers to any of their questions.

Neither Hikaru or Kaoru had seen their wives since they left for the house in the middle of nowhere, or... Kaoru hadn't. But Hikaru ignored the fact that he had left to see Haruhi that night.

He thought that it would help his anxiety, calm his nerves, help him sleep. But it had done none of those things.

He had felt better after leaving the morning afterwards. It wasn't even five-thirty when he managed to carefully detach his wife's arm from around him, and slowly move out from under her. He had kissed her one more time even while she slept, and moved to the baby who was passed out in his bassinet.

It had taken everything in him to leave them, and to successfully slip past the police guarded in the living room, who were starting to wake up. Though he wasn't sure he didn't wake them up when he slammed the door accidentally.

Now he was laying on his bed, one arm tucked under his head. He wished he had been more affectionate and less distant with Haruhi when she was there, because now, it seemed that she didn't even come home. She wasn't with him long enough before she left again. He still ached for her from when she was missing. Now, those three weeks she was home, felt like a dream, that it never happened.

With his sudden obsession with his sleep medication, he had been feeling rundown and sick, he tried to talk to Haruhi everyday, but when he spoke to her, he never talked about himself. She had no idea that his emotions were eating him away, screwing with him mentally.

The bed felt large, and cold with no one sleeping next to him. It was in the middle of the afternoon, the maids had cooked lunch and he was contemplating on going down to eat, but a headache kept him plastered to the bed.

He had her back, he had to push her away to keep her safe, now he missed her again. It was to the point where he didn't care if she was safe anymore, he just wanted to hold her and have her with him everyday. Which scared him.

How long was it going to take to have everything fall into place again? What happened and why did it happen? Who did it and what did he do to make those people make this happen?

And yes, that was the real question.

What did he do?

* * *

 _Haruhi squealed and threw her arms around his neck, hiding her face in his hair as he hooked his arms under her legs and lifted her up._

 _"Hika, don't. I just ate."_

 _He grinned and pecked her cheek, holding her up close trying not to let her long, puffy white skirts of her dress get in the way. "Shouldn't have eaten that third serving of sushi."_

 _She scoffed, adjusting herself in his arms as he held her bridal-style. "Kaoru said that after the vows I could let myself go."_

 _"I don't think he meant 'make yourself sick' kind of let go," Hikaru rolled his eyes to the point it almost hurt and hugged her closer, "or fat either."_

 _"He practically starved me. I showed you what he let me eat all week. It was all green."_

 _"Your dress wouldn't have fit had he let you 'let yourself go' too early," he joked, though she wasn't amused in the slightest. "It's fine though, I'd still love you."_

 _"I'm not worried about that," she answered, flashing him a tiny smile before he planted his lisp on hers, managing not to drop her on the floor as he used one hand to open the door to their hotel room._

 _She kissed him over and over again along his lips and jawline, holding his face still in her hands. It was a wonder how he knew where he was going and how he hadn't tripped over anything on the way to the large bed in the middle of the room._

 _That record didn't last long though, as his foot tapped the leg of the bedstead and caused them to fall forward onto the mattress. She fell down first, and didn't bother to try and sit up, as she laid down with the skirts of her wedding dress sprawled out messily across the bedspread, with her new husband climbing over her._

 _Hikaru loosened the tie around his neck and threw it somewhere on the floor, giving her one more kiss on the lips before unbuttoning a few buttons of his undershirt and his blazer. He got side tracked again though, and climbed back over her, kissing her neck with lingering lips._

 _"Should of changed into your reception dress," he muttered against her skin, "it's going to take forever to get you out of all these strings."_

 _"I forgot to put it on after the ceremony," she replied, rolling onto her side. "Why go through the hassle of putting on another dress if you already have one on?"_

 _"Fine with me. It just means you can wear it on the honeymoon. I haven't seen it on you yet so it'll be a surprise."_

 _"I don't really like it."_

 _"Dresses were meant to please the men, not the woman. You'll look fine in it."_

 _Haruhi ignored that and grabbed his face again, kissing his nose before his lips. While her mouth was bust she used her hand to a just the collar of her dress that was falling down, showing more than she wanted to, but before she could pull her sleeves up too, Hikaru grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up to her knees with him, pulling out her hairpins that held her hair up in a tight bun above her head._

 _"So much stuff," he groaned, undoing a string of pearls that were braided into her hair extensions. "I know I said you look beautiful an all, but really, you're beautiful too in just a shirt and sweatpants."_

 _"Had you said that to me earlier, I would have been able to eat a lot more."_

 _He laughed, nuzzling his nose against her neck. "I can't be a hundred percent sure that you wouldn't have gone down the aisle in sweatpants though."_

 _She shrugged in agreement and let his hands wander down her arms, hooking her small sleeves in his fingers, pulling it down her arms as he used his other hand to untie the corset back, behind her._

 _Her hand worked on her hair, pulling out another string of pearls once she tugged out a hairpin. the glitter that was earlier sprinkled on her hair was fluttering down onto the blankets, and stuck to her skin. Her hands, that were covered in sparkles, moved to his hair, ruffling it up that was once kept down with hairspray._

 _She had always told him that she preferred his natural, disheveled look, than when he looked tamed._

 _Gasping as he unexpectedly groped her, she smacked his hand out of reflex but it only gained her a evil snicker from his lips. He moved his knee between her legs so they practically sat on top of each other._

 _He undid the strings in the back, and her dress literally fell into his hands. She eased down onto the mattress, down onto her back after unbuttoning the last of his buttons to his shirt and blazer._

 _Haruhi pulled the blankets over her chest once she was exposed after he carefully pulled away her dress past her knees. "Hang on a minute, isn't there a rule where the bride escapes to the bathroom to put on something more comfortable?"_

 _"...That wouldn't make any sense if the bride is already almost naked, now would it?" He chuckled, down the side of her neck, and down her collarbone. "Plus your idea of "more comfortable" most likely won't fit into the category of "sexy", which is what we're trying to go for tonight."_

 _She laid back down, curling up into the blankets. "Well then I won't even try. After that sushi I might fall into a deep food coma. Could we theme tomorrow night "sexy"?"_

 _"Tomorrow night won't be our wedding night," he tried to argue, but his lips locked with hers again. He had already flung her dress over the head of the closest chair, but sadly, his suit did not get the same treatment, as he was shrugged it off his shoulders and violently tossed it to the floor, and was now just starting with his belt with the innocent intentions of getting "more comfortable"._

 _"You ready to spend the rest of your life with me, Mrs. Hitachiin?"_

 _She kissed him again, running her fingertips along his upper torso. "Only if you promise we'll be together forever."_

 _"We will be if you're able to tolerate me that long."_

 _The kissed deepened, growing softer, and hotter, as her garments were tossed over his own clothes on the floor below them._

 _Later that night, tangled in the bed sheets, she laid on top of him, with her head resting on his bare chest. He stroked her hair, smoothing out her excessive extensions. His other hand was occupied with hers, as their fingers were tightly laced together._

 _Haruhi inched closer to him, laying against his hot skin. "...This is nice."_

 _Hikaru smirked and kissed her temple. "I want to stay like this forever."_

 _"We're boarding a plane in the morning."_

 _"...Do we have to?"_

 _"Yes. Because I already picked out a bathing suit for you."_

 _"Bali's kind a far. Do we have to go?"_

 _"It's our honeymoon. We're not going to be able to go that far for a while again together."_

 _She hesitated. "Is there... sushi restaurants in Bali?"_

 _"You're adorable," he laughed, and squeezed her tighter in his arms, "I'm going to love you forever."_

* * *

"Hikaru there you are."

His head popped up from the sound of the door being slammed into the wall, and he sat up, pressing his hands to the mattress as he stared wide-eyed at the woman standing in the doorway.

And unfortunately, she wasn't the brunette he was thinking about.

"Kagami..." he questioned in confusion, "what're you doing here?"

Kagami cocked her head to the side and draped herself against the doorframe, licking her bottom lip seductively. "Is that the only thing you can come up with to say to me? You even knew I was coming today."

He frowned, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed to stand. "I thought you had to be somewhere today? And... what're you doing in here?"

She snickered, biting her lip. Pushing herself away from the door she stumbled a bit but managed to stay on her feet. "I thought that since it's your day off today, that you might be lonely with everyone else gone."

He looked at her strangely, before standing up. "I was alone but I wasn't lonely. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she assured, smiling widely as she brushed her hair off her shoulder. "And I... just wanted to see you. You didn't seem so good when I left yesterday."

He nodded. "Yeah, probably because there's hostile group determined to emotionally abuse my whole family, and kidnap my wife. Which might be all my fault, and we have no idea why."

"...Yeah, that sucks," she sighed, stepping into the room, nearing the bed he had just stood up from. "I just wanted to talk. And I know that you're busy but-" she grabbed the wooden pole of the bed so she wouldn't fall over. "It's just that, I wanted to tell you that-"

She was cut off again once she let go of everything that held her steady and she fell forward. She would have fallen to the for had it not been for Hikaru who panicked and caught her in his arms in the nick of time.

"What're you doing?" He cursed under his breath, helping her stand up. "What's wrong with you? Why does your breath smell like alcohol?"

Kagami grasped his shoulders for support, and giggled against his collarbone before looking up at him with a tiny grin. "I might have had a little to drink earlier. I've never been able to hold my liquor."

Hikaru scowled, brushing her bangs to one side of her face to feel her forehead. "You're not supposed to be drinking at all."

"...Why not?"

"Because you're... _pregnant_."

She hesitated before smirking and patting her flat stomach. "Oh I know, but a little won't hurt. There's plenty of things that are worse that I could have done. It's fine."

His hand fell. "Still, you shouldn't."

Shrugging, she kept her hands on his shoulders, nuzzling into his neck. "How long do you think Haruhi will be gone?"

"As long as she needs to be," he tried to move her hands, but her hold on him moved from his shoulders to his biceps. "I want her as much out of harms way as possible, even if she has to be away. I wanted to send you there too, just incase."

"You're that worried about me?" she winked. "Careful, Hika-kun. You're married."

"I wasn't flirting, Kagami. They're dangerous and we don't know what they're capable of."

"Who?"

"...The group who kidnapped, Haruhi, and shot, Kaoru."

Her lips puckered. "Do we have to talk about this? It's so depressing. I just wanted to come and spend time with you. I thought you said you wanted to be apart of our baby's life?"

"Honestly, I would have preferred not being apart of anyone's life except Haruhi and Hiroshi," he muttered, which she didn't seem very phased by. "what happened between us was a mistake, we've talked about this, but it isn't any of your fault or..." he looked at her stomach. " _It's_ fault, so I'm handling it."

"I know, but..." her red polished nails sneaked behind him, gracing the nape of his neck. "Maybe it wasn't such a bad mistake."

He pulled her hands away, and tried to turn away from her face. "Kagami, I don't know what you were drinking but-" he cut himself off as she ripped her wrists from his grasp. "This can't happen, I-"

"I love you, Hikaru," her hands lingered to his cheeks, pulling him so close their lips nearly touched. "I love you. I've loved you for a long time. Since high school, you've never noticed but I've loved you, and I still do. We don't have to tell anyone, we could-"

"Kagami," Hikaru finally snapped, his haw clenching and his tone firm. "You're drunk, you don't know what you're doing. I never knew you in high school and I'm married now, we can't do anything. I'll call a cab for you if that's how you got here, but-"

"No," she whined, moving her hands to his head, tangling her fingers in his hair. "I did love you, you just never knew it. I lived in the house with you, you just... never knew."

"You're not making any sense, sit down before you hurt yourself."

"No, you don't understand," her tone turned desperate as her finger nails tightened against the fabric of his hood. "I love you, and... you even said it too, yourself."

He tugged her arms away again. "I never said anything to you that I didn't mean."

"But you did, and you looked like you meant it then," her breath crawled against his skin, making him turn away. "You said that you loved me that night, when we..."

"On the night I was intoxicated out of my mind?"

"Haven't you heard that... a drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts?"

He pushed her away again, though mindful to be gentle with her. "I think you should leave. Kagami, come back when you're sober so we could talk about this. If I said anything to you that maid you think that way, I'm sorry, but I don't. It's not the same for me."

She stood in the middle of the room, biting her lip, watching him zip up his hoodie higher up near his throat. Her heart ached, as though he had forcefully shoved his hand through her chest and clutched his heart between his fingers before pulling it out and stomping on it.

"We lived in that house together for three years," she spoke up, catching his attention before he could turn around and leave the room. "Before you left for Ouran University. I was going to tell you, but you came back during that one Christmas with... a girlfriend, that I couldn't."

"It was Haruhi."

"I know it was."

He sighed. "I never knew you lived in the mansion."

"My mother worked for your mother." Kagami eased closer to him, reaching for his hand before he could pick up the common sense to step away. "And when... I found out that you were getting married I moved away. it hurt more knowing that I couldn't have you, and watching you be with someone else than me not being able to se you."

Hikaru clenched his jaw tighter, carefully moving her hands away from him again, holding onto her knuckles. "Kagami, I'm sorry, but things haven't changed. I'm in love with Haruhi like I've been for the past seven years and I can't change that."

She stared at him, her eyes twitching as tears grew behind them. This time, she tugged her hands away from him and stepped back. "I though that I could make you change your mind when Haruhi went missing."

"No, it wasn't like-"

"I thought that when you thought that she had left you on purpose, and when you said you loved me, that I had stopped thinking about her, and that... we could..."

"Kagami," he stepped forward, but she stepped back further. "I wasn't in my right mind when I said that to you, I-"

"I was beginning to think that maybe you weren't just saying that because you were drunk. And I thought that..." her hand hovered above her stomach. "since we were going to have a baby that we could have something but... she came back and I knew that... when I saw you with her... that we couldn't ever have what you and her have together."

Hikaru hesitated. There was always something, wasn't there? Just when he thought that everything wasn't so complicated, and when he only had one problem, another door opens with another one. With things that complicated everything else.

If he could snap his fingers to make everything go away, he would, but he couldn't. Life wasn't ever that simple. If only he could have a more responsible and wiser adult to talk to, to tell all his problems to, and to get the solutions that made everything fair.

If only Haruhi was there to make everything a little less painful, and to tell him what he could do.

Or just anyone, so he could have someone to take him away from it all, and just hold him, and tell him that they were going to make everything okay again. That they were going to fix everything.

It was times like this that he wished he was five years old again, when he was young enough to run away from the things that scared him, and hide under his secret fort, and hold his twin close to him, so he couldn't see anything, so nothing could hurt him.

It was times like this that he hated being the adult.

"Kagami..." his throat strained, not knowing what to say. "I don't want us to be awkward."

She turned to him, her eyes flaring. "Isn't that what's happened? How humiliated do you think I feel? I thought we could have something, then I get over you, I see you again and think that I could have a second chance. I tell you everything, and... my feelings are rejected again, right in my face."

"...I thought, you'd know better not to say anything. I didn't want to hurt-"

"It's too late for that."

"Kagami, just wait a second," he cursed under his breath, though he was sure she heard him. "I'm sorry. I don't feel the same, and I probably never will, but you don't have to live this like, I'm not the person for you, and I think you've known this. You're-"

"But you've never had the same issues as me," her throat clogged, nearly ready to cry. "You've always have everything. You're a millionaire, you've always had it easy, and had everything just fall into your hands. No one has ever _not_ loved you. When you asked Haruhi, she didn't push you away, did she?"

"...No, but this isn't about her. If you're worried about money it has nothing to do with it either."

"It's about you. You tell me how I should feel, that I should know that I don't love you."

"I said that you should know that you can't love me."

"Just because you're married, doesn't mean I can't love you," she grumbled, clutching her jacket in her hand. "You were fine when she wasn't here. You consistently said that you didn't care that she was gone. You said over and over again that you hated her for leaving."

"That was before!" He threw his hands up, his chest filled up with air, nearly suffocating him. "I was depressed and stupid, like you are now. I didn't know what really happened."

"Depressed and stupid?" she scoffed, "you were going to be fine with the idea that she was never coming back. You would have been depressed for a while, but you would have gotten over it. You said it yourself over dinner that day."

He shook his head, running his hands through his hair to relieve the tension. "I said that but I didn't mean it."

"Did you say that you've never said anything to me that you didn't mean?"

"Just not that!"

"Just admit it! You don't love her anymore. You just think you do because of the way you felt for her two years ago. I saw you, and heard you. You told her that you wanted to love her again. You wouldn't have said that if you already loved her."

"I-... I was lying."

"To yourself? Like you're doing now?" She stepped up to him, sticking her nose up to look at him. "You're confused. You only think you should love her because you're married to her and she had your baby."

He glared. His skin tingled over his searing blood. "It isn't like that. I took it all back when I found out she didn't leave. They forced her. They kidnapped her against her will. Nothing was her fault. And if that were the case, wouldn't I have accepted your feelings this time? Because you're pregnant?"

"I'm not pregnant! I thought you'd get it," she almost shouted. "I've never been pregnant. We didn't even do anything that night. We've never done anything more physical than a kiss. Did you think I'd actually sleep with you while you were _that_ drunk? You were delusional."

Right then, as stared into her angry eyes and his body lost all tension. His shoulders sagged and his knees felt like giving away beneath him. Deep down there was relief, but higher up, there was something else...

He almost couldn't find the words. "...You... lied about that?"

"I thought it was going to be easier than that. You're so gullible that you couldn't see that I'm as flat as a board for being three months pregnant?"

"Oh well geez, no one just assumes that a crazy chick from your past is going to lie about something like that! This whole time I thought I had done something wrong when it was just all you."

That seemed to have set something off in her, as she shoved him backwards so much that he stumbled. He didn't do anything back. He just stood there, staring at her with a firm, judging scowl.

"Isn't that the norm?" She questioned, stepping closer to him. "We lie to each other? We play with each other's feelings?"

"I never meant to "play with your feelings", Kagami. You took my words wrong."

"Did I? When you said them right to me?" She stepped closer, so close her warm breath touched the base of his throat. "You told me that you loved me and that you never wanted to leave you alone again."

"You said it yourself that I was delusion. Don't you remember telling me the next morning that I thought you were Haruhi?"

"You said it to my face anyway. I was there, and you kissed me because you wanted to."

"I don't even remember ever seeing you that night. I didn't think I had done anything until I woke up next to the next morning and both of us were..."

"Naked?"

"...I'm guessing it was staged."

She took a deep breath. "No. it almost wasn't. You took my clothes off but you fell asleep before anything else."

"I thought you were different than what my brother was saying." He murmured, glancing down at her, looking genuinely hurt. "I thought of you as a friend. I thought you were the only one who understood me, but you weren't. You saw that was vulnerable, so you used the time that Haruhi was gone to see if you could have a chance with me."

"I didn't... I was... over all the time because I felt sorry for you at first. Later I started to feel the same way I did about you before." She grinded her teeth, avoiding his eyes as she looked at the floor. "I wanted you to feel the same and you almost did. I really did want her to come home at first... because I... I didn't like that you were so sad all the time. It was depressing just to watch."

"How many times are you going to lie to me in one fucking sentence?"

She looked up, pinching her lips. " _What_?"

Hikaru curled his finger under a small lock of her hair. "Your roots are darker than your actually hair. You dyed it brown the day you found out Haruhi was missing. You did it all so I would like you. You're naturally black."

Kagami jerked her face away. "My hair is naturally like this."

"I can see where you bleach it, Kagami."

Before she would reply, he continued.

"You don't know what you want." He spoke, towering over her, his voice growing colder. "You keep coming up with lies. You've even been lying to yourself. You don't even love me. You just want things you can't have. Like a spoiled brat. You've just been jealous of Haruhi this whole time, apparently since high school."

With that, she didn't say anything to that and shoved him backwards again, to the point he had fallen into a chair. He gasped from the sudden contact but didn't let the surprise show. She stepped closer to him to the point where she was standing between his legs.

"I've never been jealous of her, she took what I claimed mine. I let it go for a while, but once she was kidnapped, I thought _'why not?_ '." She closed the distance between their faces. "She was out of the picture wasn't she? You were alone, I felt sorry for you. I was going to let her come back, but she never did and I started to love you again over time."

"I came over everyday, cooked you every meal, sat with you, talked to you, listened to your problems. For so long we bonded and I had feelings for you again," she moved so closer him and he leaned back so far the chair was nearly tipping backwards. "I've tried, to gain your feelings too, but she came back, and suddenly you were attracted to her again."

"Maybe because she's my _wife_."

"You also said that marriage doesn't mean a thing in this world anymore."

"How many times are you going to use my own words against me? I didn't mean anything that I said before-"

His words caught dead in his throat as she promptly laid against him, crossing her legs as she sat on his lap. Curling her arms around his neck. She blew lightly against his face and nuzzled her moist red lips against the soft skin of his cheek.

"You didn't mean anything before?"

"Kagami, get off."

She frowned, breathing down his neck. "Remember when you said that you'd do everything I needed you to do? You said that you'd be there for me."

"That's when I thought you were pregnant."

"Fine then. Grab me. Hit me... _Push me away_."

"I don't hit women."

Her fingernails traced his jawline. Under the awkward position, he tried not to touch her. He didn't like it, but he couldn't put a finger on her. He was angry that she had lied, but couldn't hit her for it.

Before he could process anything more, her hand grabbed his chin and his lips were suddenly forced to meet hers. Her breath was hot against his nose and he felt her tongue try to slip past his teeth, but he had mustered up enough common sense to jerk his face away from her.

He gasped and opened his mouth and tried to shove her off of him anyway, but he didn't get that far.

Suddenly, there was a tight, pinching pain in his wrist, and he bit his own tongue. During that time, he hadn't been paying attention to what her other hand had been doing. He looked down and saw a clear, thick, plastic zip-tie confining his hand to the arm of the chair. There was another pain in his other wrist as she tightened another zip tie against his bare skin and the wood of the chair.

He inhaled sharply and pulled his wrists, but they didn't budge but a little. "Kagami, what're you-"

"I sounded pretty believably huh?" she hissed, grabbing his face to face her again, matching fierce brown eyes with gold. "Your stupidity is almost cute."

Confined to the chair, he couldn't move, but his upper half. "Was your intentions to come up here and tie me to the _chair_?"

"My intentions were only to see what you were doing, and spend a little time with you. Maybe have _tea_." She shrugged, a smirk hidden behind her ugly scowl. "Things didn't turn out that way though."

She threw her legs off him and stood up. "I really did try to be nice about it."

"Dammit, Kagami! Get these off. I already said I wouldn't touch you."

"Oh Hika," she sighed, leaning closer to him again, only to press her finger to his lips. "Don't you understand how much I can hurt you?"

His eyes widened, but a last, he couldn't get a word in, as she continued. Interrupting him as he had done to her.

"Hikaru... would you do anything to have Haruhi? Even if I did everything I could to try and make you love me? You'd still pick her, wouldn't you?"

"At this point I'd pick a hamster over you," he admitted, glaring as he struggled against the zip-ties. "Honestly, you've turned into a crazed psycho bitch."

"I guess that will make this a little fun then. "

Kagami stood up straight, shoving her hand into her pocket to pull out her cellphone. She looked at him for a moment before dialing a number. Pressing the buttons one by one, slowly, so he could hear the aggravating sound, so she could torture him a little more.

Once she finished, the phone rang, and to Hikaru, it seemed to echo against every wall. She turned up the volume and put it on speakerphone. Moments later, after the fourth ring, a dark, irritated voice appeared that made his skin crawl, and it sounded vaguely familiar.

"What?" They spoke, and Kagami's hidden smirk appeared and widened.

"Remember when I said I wanted to be humane about the _situation_?" She spoke into the speakers, staring, watching Hikaru with a glint in her eye.

The voice hesitated. "You might have said it ...So?"

"I've changed my mind."

"...And?"

Kagami narrowed her brow. "Kill her."

And suddenly, Hikaru's heart sank to his stomach. "What?!"

"You know were it is, don't you?" She held a finger up, as though she was shushing him, to be quiet. "I don't care _how_. Just do It."

"Kagami. I swear to god."

She pressed her finger to her lips, silently shushing him again.

The voice spoke up again, almost reluctantly. "...Which one? There's two."

"Ah what the hell. Kill them both."

Hikaru gasped "No!"

She looked at him, licking her bottom lip in thought. She opened her mouth, as though she was going to "change her mind" again, but didn't.

"And make it slow and painful."

With that, she ended the phone call and dropped her phone back into her pocket. What she saw what the look of pure horror on Hikaru's face, and secretly, it brought her a little enjoyment to see it.

"Fucking dammit, Kagami!" Hikaru cursed, clenching his jaw this time to not scream too loudly. "It was all you. It was all fucking you this whole time! You're... you're the one who-... just so I'd feel the same way about you? So you could have me? You sent Haruhi away so you'd get what you wanted."

"Life sucks doesn't it? I didn't get what I wanted..." She looked at him in disgust. "And you're never going have what you wanted _ever again_. I didn't want to have a fight with you, but you started it."

"Kagami, _don't_ ," he pleaded still with his furious tone. "you don't have to have to― Alcohol messes with your judgment just stop. You don't know what you're doing, if you-"

"Oh please, I haven't had a drink since Thursday."

He jerked his hands against the zip-ties again. "Kagami-!"

She leaned forward and pressed her finger on his lips next, and he instantly silenced himself.

"And just so you know," she growled, "there isn't a _group_... it's just me."


	30. Chapter 30

_Thank you Shinedown, and your music, for helping me create this chapter. ~ Merry Christmas as well everyone 2015 ~ chapter contains slightly violent scenes_

* * *

 **This Mean War**

* * *

 _I can't lose her again..._

Tears or of desperation and fear welded behind his eyes while he struggled to pull his wrists free from the zip-ties.

 _Them..._ He didn't know his own son for more than a month, but the thought of loosing him too hurt. Loosing any of them hurt.

 _I need them... I need us to be together._

 _This can't be happening._

He felt pathetic. Strapped to another chair, _useless_. He couldn't move. The maids had taken the day off by his orders. His phone was in his coat jacket that was on the bed more than ten feet away.

The house was empty, and no one other than him knew what had just happened fifteen minutes earlier. The woman he had called his friend, the woman who he thought cared about him, was the woman who had made his life so miserable for the last two years.

After so long, being without his wife, and being with... _her,_ he was sure he was beginning to feel something for her. He wasn't sure what it was. Maybe he was beginning to fall for her a little.

When he saw his wife's face again, for the first time in a long time, he lost all feeling in his body, and feelings for everyone else. He knew he wouldn't be able to love anyone other than Haruhi. When he had seen her again, he swore he loved her even more than before, as he realized how life was without her, and learned how much he appreciated her.

His jaw twitched as he pulled his wrists against. The thin, plastic of the ties dug deep into his skin, leaving dark red indents in his flesh. He kept pulling until he heard the plastic clicking, barely loosening.

His skin burned and screamed as the rough edges of the ties cut into it, almost breaking skin. The welts were purple and tender, and only got worse the harder he pulled to set himself free.

There was so much he had taken for granted. And now that he had learned...

He wasn't about to let some crazed psycho bitch taken it all away from him, again.

There was a sharp, quick snap and he gasped, having the left sip-tie snapped from the side that rubbed against the edge of the chair. One of his hands were free, and while it was red from the pressure, and bruised from trying so hard, he grabbed the other sip-tie in his fingers and tugged on it, snapping it in half so his other hand was free.

Everything went by so fast the moment he sprung from the chair. He rubbed his wrist briefly, taking little concern for himself before snatching his coat from the bed. His phone fell into his hands and he immediately left the room.

"Come on..." he whispered, biting the inside of his cheek as he held the ringing cellphone to his face. "...Shit, Kyouya... _pick up_."

After the six ring, and the automatic voice message, he realized he wouldn't. Hikaru cursed as he shoved a chair over that was in his way, passing through the dinning room. It fell to the floor with a loud bang but he barely noticed.

His blood ran hot through his veins. All common sense had left him as he gripped his phone tight in his hands. Kyouya ignored his second phone call and he hit it against the closest wall with a loud, frustrated groan.

The adrenaline made his heart beat faster, and louder in his own ears. His hands shook and his fingers couldn't keep still to dial another number. He was scared, and felt sick. His chest hurt and he wanted to scream, as if it was his life he was scare of loosing.

Though if it were his life, he wasn't sure if he'd be this terrified.

The ringing against his face echoed through his eardrums, every time the phone rang, it was another moment they were loosing. You can't stall with a ticking time-bomb.

This whole thing was going to blow up in their faces, and knowing that he couldn't do anything more than what he was doing now, which wasn't a lot, was killing him.

After the fourth ring, he was about to give up and throw his phone to the floor, had it not been for a second later that his brother's voice appeared on the other end.

"...Hika? What're you-"

"Kaoru!" he practically screamed, causing a ripple of static, vibrating in the speakers. " _Fucking Kyouya_ won't answer his phone, I don't have contact with the officers who are in Adachi with the girls, you need to get on the phone with Mokoto right _now_ and stay on with her as long as it'll let you, I'm leaving for there right now, gods only knows how long it's going to take to get there during rush hour. We need to-"

"Hikaru! Bro slow _down._ I don't know what you're saying," Kaoru answered with a tired groan. "What're you talking about? What happened in Adachi? Are they o-"

"No! They're not okay, I don't know what what's happening, but they need to _leave_. Call Mokoto and tell her they need to get the hell out of there. _Now_."

"Dammit," he cursed, "you're freaking me out, Hikaru tell me what's going on-"

"I can't cause if I do you're going to tell me that you told me so and I really don't think I can take that right now. Just do it! Kyouya won't answer, and I don't know how to get in touch with the officers outside of Adachi and I can't keep a decent line with Haruhi."

"Kyouya's in a meeting today until four and I was just talking to Moko half an hours ago she's fine-"

"The _hell_ is he doing in a meeting? Kagami just left maybe fifteen to twenty minutes ago and it only takes an hour and a half to get down there to the house, If I left right now I'm not going to be able to get there in time. Call Mokoto and tell them to leave _right now._ "

Kaoru took a deep breath. "Hikaru, what's going on? What's happened?"

Hikaru put his phone down on the shelf near the front door as he searched the cabinet for his car keys. There was the limo's keys, the keys to the garage, the house, to the other there cars he hadn't drove in over two years, but the keys to his Audi were missing.

They were gone, but a small note, that had been ripped from a lined notebook was present, and was stabbed onto the hook that was supposed to be holding his keys. He ripped it off the wall and stared at the small words that were written in ink.

 _"You stole something of mine, so I stole something of yours baby. Have fun being the hero."_

" _Dammit!_ "

"What?!"

He crumbled the small paper in his hand and smashed it against the wall, letting it fall to the floor, before picking his phone back up. "She took my car, get on the phone with them, and I'll figure something else out-"

"Hikaru what the hell is going on? If you want to go, I'll just pick you up, who has your car?"

"We don't have time to take detours! I'll just take one of the other ones. And don't you dare think about going too. You're still suppose to be on bed-rest till your own stiches heal over. Just do what I say."

"Hikaru you got me involved when you mentioned Mokoto," he replied too sternly for Hikaru to argue. "Just tell me what's happening, did they find them?"

"They didn't just find them Kaoru, they've known where they've been this whole damn time," Hikaru slammed the cabinet door shut, gripping the keys to his Nissan so tight in his palm, he was near to breaking skin, "No doubt Katsu knows everything too, I freaking knew Hibiki was lying."

"Katsu? Is he going there?!"

"I don't know who is, but I've got dibs on that bastard."

Kaoru hesitated, and breathed deeply into the speakers, not being able to help it. "They know where Mokoto and Haruhi are then? And they're going there now? Who are they?"

"I don't have any idea. I damn well near decapitated my wrists this afternoon. Call everyone, Mokoto, try to get Kyouya to contact his officers in Osaka, we'll take them there. They can't come here, they'd know."

"Fine. We'll all meet there in two hours or so, so we-"

"No, That'll take too long! In an hour or less the safe house will become a slaughter house! I'll get Kyouya to put something in the air. Kaoru these people are dangerous, and their boss will fucking do anything. She's insane. Find a way to get us there in half an hour, and I don't care how."

 _'Make it slow and painful.'_

Hikaru cut off the phone call before he screamed. He held his hands to his forehead, dropping his phone into his pocket. Nothing in his head was working out. Everything ended badly and it scared him. He saw everything behind his eyes, and everything was red. It was painful, and he tried to be strong.

He tried to think straight and clearly, passed the fear that fogged his vision, but he couldn't.

When he pulled it hands away eyes, his palms were wet.

And when he had seen how much, _too much_ , of something he didn't think was ever possible, tears wouldn't stop.

He was crying.

When you love someone so much, they become your other half. They're apart of you.

But Haruhi was everything to him. More than just half.

If he lost her again, _forever..._ He wouldn't exist.

 _And the shell was cracking._

* * *

Hiroshi squeaked, with his arms stretched out, screaming, in fear that he'd be dropped on the floor, as his mother held him over her head.

Dimples appeared over his chubby cheeks as he grinned, curling and uncurling his small fingers. For a moment he was laughing, then, as he was thrust back into the air he screamed again, with his lips quivering until he cried.

Haruhi laughed, bringing him back down until he laid on her chest, clenching her shirt in his tiny hands.

"Mommy's angel baby," she cooed, petting his head until he finished expressing himself. He sat up on her lap, turning his head, looking around the living room until he decided just to lay back down, having had used too much of his energy already from trying to learn to walk.

He brought his knees to his stomach and curled up in a ball on her, and happily chewed on the pacifier she stuck in his mouth. His eyes stayed fixed on the officer who was asleep in the kick-back chair in the corner, and he stayed as such, barely blinking.

Haruhi turned to Mokoto who was sitting in the chair beside the couch she laid on, and arched her brow at her aggravated scowl.

"...What's wrong, Mokoto?"

"I want a divorce. Kaoru called me fat."

Haruhi scoffed, shifting her lightened hair away from her face. "Is that why you hung up on him?"

"He said I was like a beach ball," she whined, laying her hands on her bulbous stomach. "And I have two months left. He's so mean."

Haruhi looked down at her flat stomach, playing with Hiroshi's hair. "I don't even want to know what sort of smart comments Hikaru would have come up with."

Mokoto turned her frown from he stomach and looked at her with a softer expression. "He was so different from the way he way then. This whole thing has really messed him up."

"I know... I've noticed," Haruhi sank into the couch cushions, feeling Hiroshi trying to climb out of her lap. "He was so childish and acted like he had no care in the world. He's matured more in two years than he has in twenty."

Mokoto nodded, laying her hand back on her stomach, poking it as it would respond. "Everyone has. It's been a long two years on everyone. I don't think anyone's ever going to be to be the same."

She turned to her again, watching Haruhis struggle to keep the baby still to adjust his shirt.

"...Do you think you and Hikaru are ever going to have another baby?"

Haruhi looked up, after almost dropping the baby she already had in her arms. Her expression tightened, biting her lower lip in hesitation. "I haven't thought about it. Hiroshi was a surprise, even when we didn't think we could ever have any kids in the first place."

Mokoto shrugged, kicking her feet up on the ottoman. "I think you will. If not soon, you will eventually."

She made a face. "How'd you know?"

"Hikaru really likes Hiroshi. Even if they haven't been around each other very long," a tiny smirk touched her lips. "plus he's missed you, so you might have a couple babies."

Haruhi frowned, almost in disgust, and turned to lay on her side, making sure to keep a close eye on the baby as he crawled away. She looked at her sister-in-law, then back to her baby, then back to her again. Mokoto laughed at her embarrassment.

"I don't think so..." she muttered after her long pause. "I think he's still mad at me. _Plus,_ that Kagami person... she's pregnant so he might not even feel like having anymore kids after it's born, and with all the havoc with those people, I don't really want to have to worry about more than one baby in this situation."

Hiroshi sat up, curling his chubby legs Indian-style as he helped himself stand up, using the sleeping officer's leg.

The officer gave out a loud snore and moved his knee, causing the baby to fall backwards on his bottom.

"And I think..." she started, folding her arm under her head, "he might _like_ her..."

Mokoto curled her nose in detestation," _Kagami_? Haruhi, you know what he and Kagami did was most likely from alcohol and his emotional state. I'm sure she's just a friend to him."

"I know. He's even denied it but still..."

"If he's denied it than you shouldn't worry about it so much."

Haruhi pouted, laying her head back down. "Maybe if he-"

" _Ow_!"

She jolted up, almost rolling off the couch. "What? What happened?"

Mokoto glared at her stomach, as though she was scolding it. "It kicked me."

Haruhi sighed in near relief and sat up completely. "Hasn't it been doing that for some time now?"

Her glare instantly turned to a wide grin. "No. It hasn't moved before. Seems a little late but the doctor said it was normal occasionally," Her hand moved to the table beside her to grab her phone but she stopped. "No wait.. I'm mad at him. Here you tell Kaoru-"

Just then, her phone started to ring with a phone call against her palm. She almost dropped it from the shock, and not expecting it do to anything. Looking down she saw her husband's name flashing on the laminated screen and rolled her eyes, having no other choice but to talk to him.

She pressed the button and answered it, grumbling into the speakers. "Your timing is phenomenal babe. What'd you want?"

There was a loud bang from Kaoru's side of the phone before his voice appeared.

"I don't care if you're mad at me right now, I already apologized, but Mokoto, you need to get out of that house. Now."

She looked over her shoulder. "Why? What's going on _now_?"

Kaoru groaned. "I don't know. Hikaru knows something, and we can't get ahold of Kyouya. Go tell the officers there that you all need to leave that house and go somewhere else. I don't know where yet, but you can't stay there. Damn it, I knew you should have stayed here with me."

Mokoto looked over at Haruhi, but her attention was to her son who was insistent on having the sleeping guard play with him. "...Kaoru, what's happening?"

He took a moment to breathe. "...I'm sorry, baby. Don't freak out. Everything's going to be okay. Just do what I say this time, please? I don't know what's going on really, but someone might be going there for Haruhi and I don't know what they'd do, but I need you guys to leave. We'll quarantine the mansion, and we'll just bring you guys back here. I don't know where else you'd go. And I don't feel comfortable with you being away anymore."

Her brow furrowed, and her lips parted, ready to say something, but decided against it and replied. "...Everyone's asleep. What're we supposed-"

"They're sleeping?"

"It's really boring here..."

"Mokoto, honey, _please_? We're on our way there, but you still need to leave. I don't care if they're sleeping, wake everyone up and get out of there. Have them drive you to the family's mansion. I'll have someone there. Make sure no one follows you."

His voice was strained, and he was upset. She wanted to ask him what was wrong, and wanted to ask for a better explanation, but as she had already known what sort of people had kidnapped Haruhi in the first place, she didn't need to know anymore other than that they were dangerous people and they shouldn't be anywhere near them.

"Okay..." she finally answered. She looked at Haruhi, and signaled her to looked back. "But, if we're leaving, why are you're coming here? Why don't we just wait for you to het here if you're-"

"No! You can't do that. If people are coming, they'll get there before we can," He whined, desperately. "I just don't want you there if they get there..."

"What makes you think I want you here if they come? What difference is there between me and you? You're not supposed to leave the house. That was the only reason why you had to stay instead of coming here. It was so you'd be closer to everything incase something happened. You're hurt, you can't-"

" _Mokoto!_ I don't care about me," he shouted, making her pull the phone away from her ear. "I'm going for a reason. Just get out of there. I don't want anything to happen to you, and if you don't I don't know what'll happen. Those people aren't going there to socialize and have tea. If you don't leave now you'll get hurt."

"I won't get hurt Kaoru, you'll hurt yourself if you leave the apartment. I don't know why you're allowed to be concerned about me, why I just have to shut up and let you do whatever you want." She huffed, ready to end the call.

"Mokoto, don't make me beg. You're being stubborn."

" _We're_ leaving, but _you're_ not."

"I _have_ to."

"No you don't. I thought we already talked about this? Stop involving yourself in things that don't concern you. You worry about other people so much that you forget about yourself. You're hurt. Accept that you're beat. You can't do _anything._ You shouldn't have to do everything all the time, and stop thinking like you have to."

"I'm not talking to you about this right now. If it involves my family, damn right it concerns me. Especially if it has anything to do with you."

She managed to stand up, after struggling with her bulging stomach. "You don't have to leave. We'll go and you can stay there. You'll be there when we-"

"I love you, Mokoto, I can't have you getting hurt. I can't have you getting into a situation like you were the first time. If you got hurt I don't know what'd I do with myself. Please just listen to me. Don't worry about me. I just want to make sure you're safe. That's all I want."

Mokoto turned to Haruhi again, as she was picking Hiroshi up off the floor. They exchanged glanced and she went to wake up the officer passed out in the chair.

"Okay, Kaoru..." she sighed, her arm resting against her stomach again. "We're leaving. Please don't hurt yourself. I only nag you cause I care..."

"I know, babe. And everything's going to be okay. No body's going to get hurt. I love you."

She looked over at the officer in the room, as he adjusted the dark glasses on his face and straightened his uniform. She turned back at the phone and nodded.

"I know, no one will... I love you too."

* * *

Hikaru laid his forehead against the steering wheel, breathing as steadily as his nerves would allow him to.

His heart was in his stomach, aching his insides. He needed to leave. He needed to get there immediately. His car wasn't going to get him there in time. He still needed to pick up his brother, and Kyouya. Despite his pride, and his will, there was no chance he'd be able make a difference. He needed officers. Armed officers.

If a girl had gotten the best of him for the last two years, there was no way he'd be able to do anything against the men Kagami had called. He wanted to. He wanted to do it all himself. And from his anger that had been building up inside since earlier, his heart was sure he could.

But his brain, something that he hadn't been listening to for a long time, was sure he couldn't. And he knew that.

 _'Have fun being the hero'_

He slammed the side of his fist against the driver's door, shaking uncontrollably from the pure hatred he had for everything that afternoon. That's not what he wanted. He didn't want to try and he the hero. That was the last thing he wanted. He just wanted to do enough.

He wanted to keep them safe. He thought he was doing the right thing when he sent her away. He thought it was going to be the best choice. Had Haruhi just stayed with him in the house, she would have been as safe as she would have been anywhere else. Maybe safer. At least he would have eyes on her all the time.

Except for when she managed to leave without him seeing, and be gone for hours.

And now, the minutes that passed by felt like hours. Time was moving so fast, and the mental clock was ticking in his ears. _Mocking_ _him_.

His hand jerked back the gear shifter as he pulled into the large parking lot of Kyouya's office. it was a miracle he had avoided the cars that were in his way, because he really wasn't trying to.

He hadn't waited more than three minutes in silence, with the angry engine before the passenger door and backdoor was thrown open.

"You sure the hell pick the perfect time to dump news like this on me," Kyouya growled as he slammed the door shut, settling in the backseat with his computer and bag. "Do you have any idea what you've got yourself and everyone else into this time?"

"Don't you think I know that?" Hikaru replied in a grumble, watching his brother glaring at him from the passenger seat. "And what're you doing here? I thought we-"

"Don't you dare ask me that question right now," Kaoru cursed, pocketing his phone into his pocket. "Just drive."

"What're they doing?"

" _Leaving_. Mokoto couldn't talk. They were leaving and our call got caught off because of the crappy reception."

Hikaru heaved heavily and slumped his back against the seat, turning out of the parking lot. "Fantastic. We don't need to bother anyone else with this. Not everyone has to go. It'd be too much of a hassle."

"Hikaru..." Kaoru mumbled, glaring in concern at his brother's arms. "What happened? Your wrists are red swollen."

Hikaru looked down, pulling his sleeves down as halted at a stop sign. "Zip-ties are a bitch."

"What were you doing with zip-ties?"

"Oh _I don't know_ , I just thought that maybe I'd zip-tie myself to a chair on my free time to see if I could get out, I thought that that might be fun."

His eyes widened, grabbing his wrist to get a better look at the swelling welts on his bruised skin. "Who zip-tied you to a chair? Is that how you knew about this? How did they get inside your house? Why didn't you _call_ someone? Are you okay?"

Hikaru pulled away his arm from his little brother's gentle grasp, his brow fixed on the road. "We'll worry about that later. Whoever did it will do anything to make our lives a living hell right now, and they're determined to make Haruhi and Mokoto their first targets."

Kaoru shoved his hand into his bangs, mussing his hair between his fingers. "Why are they doing this? What does the girl have to do with it? Why do they want them?"

"...Jealousy."

" _Of_?"

"Of Haruhi. Mokoto had nothing to do with this at all, but she got involved anyway. Now they're going to hurt both of them just because they fucking can. They don't give two craps about the jaw."

Kaoru expression softened as he tightened his hand around his phone, just waiting for it to buzz with a message. "I'm starting to think that this has nothing to do with business associates like we thought."

Hikaru pulled down his sunglasses as the afternoon light hit his side of the window. The clouds had moved inches away from the sun, seemingly trying to blind him.

His skin burned, and his wrists ached as he clenched his hands around the wheel. They hurt, needing ice, but that was the last thing on his mind. The fear of everything crashing down around him was the first. Everything turning out for the worst. Him loosing the very thing that kept him going.

It wasn't him wanting him to be the hero.

It wasn't him wanting to get revenge.

it wasn't him trying to connect the dots. To piece together the whole puzzle.

He didn't care if it didn't make sense. He didn't care about the reason anymore. He knew the outline.

He just wanted to protect the only thing that matter to him. She had been through so much stuff because of him. And he didn't want it to continue.

It was going to end today.

"We're not going to make it there in time. They'll get there before we do and notice that the girls are gone." He spoke up. "Kyouya-"

"I already have a Cessna waiting around the corner in a field. It's not big but it'll get us there faster than a car would."

Kyouya tossed his laptop carelessly into his open bag. "I've contacted the officers in Osaka, and the officers with Haruhi and Mokoto are reported to take them there for the time being. Adachi isn't safe anymore, and Bunkyo is just as well. Whatever the hell you did is in the past, we're not going to worry about it-"

"I didn't do a damn thing. Kagami did. It was all her. It's all her fault for all of this," Hikaru exclaimed, mentally through with everything as he turned the wheel sharply, causing the tires to squeak against the pavement. The car ran over half the sidewalk as he turned, nearly colliding with a caution sign.

"She was jealous. Things didn't go her way." He continued, and knew he his brother was looking at him. "She set it all up. She had Haruhi kidnapped, she lied about being pregnant. She's had eyes on the safe house since the day we decided to move them there. Now she's going to have them murdered because I didn't catch on soon enough."

Kaoru stared, too shocked by his brother's outburst to say a thing. "...But-"

"It doesn't mater who's fault it is, or who did what, what matters is that we're not going to let that happen!" Kyouya shouted over him, making both the men in the front to flinch. "We'll sort out the details later, we just need to get you to the house. My officers will get the men. Just make sure no harm comes to Haruhi or Mokoto, or Hiroshi."

"Holy shit! I forgot I had a baby!" Hikaru took another sharp turn, nearly tipping the car on two wheels. "Dammit. Why does everything have to be so difficult?!"

"Hika! Calm down, you're going to rush into all this without thinking," Kaoru pleaded, clutching his shoulder in a way to try and calm him. "We're not trying to start a war, when it's already bad enough."

They came to and abrupt stop, And Hikaru took no extra time in throwing his seat belt off and getting out of the car.

"It wouldn't matter. The war's already started."

* * *

Haruhi held Hiroshi to her chest, holding his head as an officer tugged at her other hand, pulling her outside.

Another one of the three officers that were staying with them, helped Mokoto down the steps of the porch, only making sure she wouldn't trip before urging her to move quicker, guiding her to the dark van parked in the driveway.

Hiroshi raised his head to look around, and struggled against his mother's hold, trying to get a look of everything. But everything wasn't such a pretty sight to see. What was earlier, was now the opposite. The white, fluffy clouds, had tinted gray. The crisp chilly air was now like ice without the sun and as if it wasn't already bad enough. It was on the verge of raining.

An officer spoke into his receiver, and held a door open to the van, motioning them to get inside from across the yard.

Mokoto shooed away the man who was at her side and insisted she move by herself. She looked over her shoulder, then towards the sky with a frown. "I married an idiot."

"We both did," Haruhi groaned beside her, grabbing her hand to stead her. "But I guess that makes us idiots too for marrying them."

The officer near the car spoke into his receiver again whispering something to Kyouya who told him what to do. he turned to look at them, and reached his arm out for Haruhi take to help her into the back seat of the van, but something made her plant her feet firmly to the ground and not move.

They all turned their heads to the sound of tires screeching against the rock gravel. A small car was pulling into the driveway before they could get into their own and pull out. It was a silver Audi, and even from where she was standing, Haruhi knew it was familiar.

"It's Hikaru's car," she murmured out loud. A small smile curving her lips. "They're already here."

The engine of the car calmed down to a stop as the car drove up onto the grass. Haruhi grinned, resting Hiroshi on her hip. Mokoto looked, but she kept her grin on her sister-in-law's hand, to keep her from walking away.

The passenger stepped out of the car, and as they ran their hand through their messy black hair, Haruhi almost collapsed upon seeing them, and would have, had it not been for the officer who kept her upright.

The driver stepped out, his smooth, neat black hair matched his blue police uniform that looked to be pressed nicely and clean.

"Clear out people," the officer spoke up loudly as he slammed the door to the car. "Time to head on out of here, no time to dawdle."

The officer with them scowled. "Who's authority do you have?"

"Mine," he replied, pushing up his jacket to reveal the firearm that was tucked into his belt. "Not you though ladies. Get back in the house. False alarm."

Both Mokoto and Haruhi looked up at the officer holding his arm out in front of them, guarding them. But he said nothing to them.

"You're in no position to make that call," he growled back at him, motioning the other officers to get inside the van. "Stand down. We're taking them where Mr. Ootori requested."

The man in the uniform huffed, tossing his head towards the officer, silently speaking to the man who stood beside him. "I asked nicely. Ladies _. Inside_."

"I said stand down," Kyouya's officer said sternly. "We obviously have different intentions, move along and report to your commanding officer-"

"Do you really want me to do that?" He sighed, pulling out his glock pistol, pointing it directly at the officer. "Kii!"

The girls screamed and the baby cried as the man standing beside him grabbed the officer who wasn't expecting anything, by the arm. He slammed his elbow into him, and the officer instantly fell, unconscious.

The guilty man looked up, grinning at Haruhi through his messy bangs. "Hey babe. It's been a while. Can't say I thought I was ever going to see you again though."

Haruhi shook, her gaze fixed on the officer on the ground. She turned to the other two on the other side of the car, but as they caught sight of what was going on, the man lunged for her and locked his arm around her, right under her throat.

The officers froze, glaring.

"Don't move," he hissed, holding her tighter, laying the barrel of his own gun against her temple. "Get into the van. Move any closer and she gets on in the head. Don't test me."

Haruhi let Hiroshi slip from her hands, and let his feet touch the ground. He stabilized himself for a moment, but fell forward on his hands. Mokoto hurriedly picked him up from the ground and held him tightly, making him squeak for freedom.

"Keiichi," Haruhi strained, struggling against his arm. "What're you even-"

"Shhh," he shushed her, moving his gun away from her, to Mokoto, just as one of the officers was trying to reach her. "Ah! We're leaving too. How about you report to your commanding officer and tell him you failed." he turned to the officer who had his own gun towards Mokoto. "Contact Katsu, tell him we got em."

Haruhi tried to pull his arm away from her. "Keiichi, let go. You don't-"

"Trust me, you think I wanted to be here sweetheart?" he tisked, "but I've been guaranteed cash, so shut your mouth."

"Let Mokoto go. You know you only want me."

"On the contrary. I don't want either of you," he shrugged, keeping close attention to the officers who were taking stand against the van. "but we can't stay here or your rotten husband will get in the way, so we're going to leave before we can have a little fun."


	31. Chapter 31

**Mistakes Made And No Regrets**

* * *

The propeller of the Cessna they had boarded slashed through the air as it landed in one of the many bean fields that surrounded the house. The owners of those fields may have a thing or two to say to them, but at that moment they didn't care.

The very moment the plane touched the ground, Hikaru and Kaoru ripped off their seat belts, ready to leap onto the grass and run to the small farmhouse. And they had almost gotten to that point had Kyouya not grabbed them and held them back.

"We had a deal. You go in there and make sure Haruhi and Mokoto are safe, and you get the hell out of there before they get here." Kyouya growled over the raging engine. "We know exactly what they're capable of and we don't need to clean up any dead bodies."

Hikaru had jerked his shoulder out of his grasp and opened the door to the small plane. "I know what I'm doing."

He held his arm out in front of his little brother, trying to keep him in the plane with next to Kyouya, but Kaoru shoved his arm out of the way and glared. "If I can't stop you from doing stupid things then you can't stop me either."

So they both left. The Cessna couldn't get them closer than the fields, leaving them a distance they had to run. Kyouya knew they shouldn't but nothing, not even the law, could stop them.

They were both just too stubborn.

"We'll wait here for them to get back with the girls and the baby," he called to the pilot. "When the other officers get here from the cars we'll leave for Osaka. The officers with them now are fully capable of handling them for now until we can get them to a safer location where those men can't find them."

While they ran, Kaoru's side ached, but he didn't complain, or he'd hear his brother nag at him, telling him he should have stayed in the car. He had taken his medicated but it was proven to not be enough for the tress he was pushing on his body.

They had taken a short cut through the grass, leading up to the side of the house. Hikaru had thrown his weight against the side door, twisting the knob, but it was locked.

Now, exhausted and out of breath, Kaoru rested his hand against the wall of the house as Hikaru was struggling with the front door. He looked over his shoulder and the black van Kyouya's officers had taken was vacated. The doors were open with none of the officers inside.

Kaoru moved to tug on his brother's sleeve, after noticing a silver car in the driveway, but Hikaru was already out of reach as he ran up to the front steps.

"They didn't leave in time," he choked, throwing open the front door. They were greeted with the dark foyer. The sun was dimmed behind the clouds, making every corner pitch black. "They're... not even here anymore."

Kaoru flinched as the floorboards creaked under his shoes. "...But, those men... they..." His words trailed off as his twin walked off out of his sight. He looked over his shoulder, looking out the door where it was more light.

Their footsteps echoed eerily, but neither things bothered Hikaru. He threw all the doors open, looking for any sign that anyone was there, if they had left something for them. As Kagami thought that that was always a cruel little joke to play on him.

It was when they stepped into the back of the house where the windows were shielded by dark curtains, did they hear someone else's breathing rather then just their own.

Hikaru slammed his hand against the light switch on the wall and was shocked to see who was looking back at him.

Haruhi and Mokoto stood against the farthest wall. Mokoto was on her knees, wincing against the light that was just shown into her face, while Haruhi stood only a few feet away from her, with her cheeks bright red and trails of dry tears touching her jawline.

"Mokoto!" Kaoru shoved passed Hikaru, nearing knocking him into the wall. He ran to the other side of the room, dropping to his knees immediately. She looked up but her vision was blocked by his shirt, as he brought her close into his chest.

She clutched his jacket, pressing her face into his collarbone, holding her arms around his sides. "Kaoru you're..."

"I know," he held her head, stroking her hair. "It's fine. Everything's going to be okay now, we'll worry about me later, right now we have to go."

She looked over his shoulder. "But-"

"We have reinforcement on the way from Bunkyo, we're going to Osaka by plane," Hikaru grabbed Haruhi's wrist pulling her away from the wall. "Kyouya's waiting with the Cessna out a little ways, if we-" He tried to pull her with him, but her feet glued to the floor. "Haruhi we have to-"

He turned around to look at her, and the look she gave him in return made him forget everything. Everything Kyouya had said, and everything they were supposed to be doing. He stared at her face, and moved his hand to her cheek.

He sighed and used his thumb to brush away the tears welding against her lashes. "Are you okay? did they hurt you?"

"No," she turned away, rubbing her face herself. "I'm fine."

"Good, then we're leaving," he tilted her face and kissed her forehead, before grabbing her wrists again. "We'll go to Osaka and find a hotel. We'll surround the place with officers, then when everything is sorted out we'll go back to the mansion."

Haruhi hesitated, and pulled her arm back when he tried to pull her again. He stopped and looked back at her, the look he gave her said it all, including his confusion.

"Haruhi we have to go," he argued, he looked at his brother and watched as he helped his pregnant wife off the floor. "Hiroshi will be fine, the plane's safe enough."

Haruhi pulled her hand away from him again, frowning, trying not to lose control of her emotions and cry again. "Hika, I don't... _have_ him."

He looked at their hands and his voice stalled. "...Where _is_ he?"

Haruhi looked behind him again and his eyes followed her gaze, looking behind them where the couch stood. He inhaled sharply into his lungs and stepped back the moment he saw their baby sitting on a man's lap.

It was a wonder how he hadn't noticed him sitting there when they had first stepped through the archway.

"Nice of you to finally join us, but I'm not gonna lie," Keiichi cleaned his teeth. "I was expecting you to take a little longer. You're kind of interrupting something."

"So excuse me fellas," he adjusted the baby on his lap. "Hands off the merchandise will ya?"

Kaoru growled and just as Mokoto got to her feet he tugged her into his arms again, more securely, even with her stomach in the way. "My wife isn't your object.

"Not a object," he corrected him, petting Hiroshi's hair as the baby held his beloved duck toy. "Think of this an a carnival, and by winning the game I got a couple toys."

"We're not your puppets!" Kaoru exclaimed. Mokoto hid her face in the crook of his arm. "You can't trap people and hurt them for your entertainment. That's not a game, you're just sick."

"Well I'm not wrong," Keiichi smirked, turning the baby around to hold him above his head. Hiroshi grinned, dropping his toy as he squealed. "It's like sitting inside the duck hunt booth. And you're all the little ducky's who have no idea what's going to happen next."

Hikaru held Haruhi in front of him, holding her tightly, as though being encircled in his arms would keep her from harm. He watched Keiichi with clenched teeth as he fondled with his son. The happy and peaceful look on the baby's face made it even worse.

His jaw twitched in suppressed rage. "Put him down."

Keiichi turned to him for s split second, then turned back to the baby as though Hikaru hadn't said anything at all.

"What do you think I'll do?" He looked at the baby again, as he fell against the cushions sideways. "I don't hurt kids. No ones that heartless."

Mokoto looked down at her stomach. "...Doesn't that mean I can go home?"

"No, you don't count."

Kaoru held her closer, moving his hand to her hair. "But you're heartless enough to attack women?"

"No one ever said I'd attack woman."

Haruhi glared, pressing her hands against her husband's chest to stand up straight. "So we're just going to ignore you holding us at gun-point half an hour ago?"

"All for show babe," he tisked, and rolled his head to look at her. "And I thought we agreed that _you_ were going to talk. I swear, all you do is nag me."

Hikaru ignored that last comment and grabbed Haruhi's wrist, pulling her behind him. "You hold a gun to someone's head, then lay there so carelessly. You're just as sick and twisted as your associates."

"There's a difference between them and me though," Keiichi continued to hold Hiroshi in the air, watching him giggle with a straight face. "Everyone I know who is in on this whole thing has either shot or killed someone. I haven't."

"Whether you've hurt someone or not, you're still involved in this and are just as guilty."

"Now, now, hurting someone is different. I've never shot anyone, and I'm going to be honest, I don't even know how to use a gun before, but I'm not that guilty." He looked at Haruhi again, who was shielded by Hikaru's arm. "...And you would know, wouldn't you babe?"

Haruhi laid her head against Hikaru's arm to avoid his gaze.

"Don't bring her into this," he hissed, feeling her fingers dig into his sleeve. "You're the sick bastard who she was stuck with, weren't you?"

"Woah now, no need for profanity."

"There's no amount of words I have to say to you, and my profanity should the least of your concerns."

Keiichi laughed, but kept his gaze towards Hiroshi. "Why? Because of that tiny little plane you have waiting out in the fields? You have no officers with you do you? As if they'd do you any good anyway, I have a whole squad locked upstairs."

"They're hurt," Mokoto muttered timidly, pressing her cheek against Kaoru's chest. "They're upstairs in one of the bedrooms. He hurt them."

"Tranquilized, not _hurt_."

"Until you hit one of them!"

"He was fine afterwards. I'm really starting to regret not gagging you earlier."

Kaoru grabbed her hand and pulled her with him as they headed for the entryway again. "I'm not going to sit here and waste time with you. You're stalling for something and it's pissing me off."

Keiichi crossed his ankles, letting Hiroshi sit on his stomach. "I don't suggest that. You can leave but preggo stays. And I don't think you're going to like that you might as well sit down and get comfortable."

As he turned his attention back to the baby, Kaoru grabbed Mokoto's hand and tried to pull her with him and head to the front door, but the moment he turned around, he didn't step but three steps before a hand was throw out in front of him from around the corner, stopping him in his tracks.

"You damn rich people don't listen." A body came after the arm, and the voice made Hikaru freeze. "How stupid do you think we are? We're not just going to let you walk out."

Kaoru stared at his face and nearly fell back in shock, but clung to Mokoto instead as he turned around to glare at Keiichi. "What? you have handfuls of men hiding around every corner? Were you secretly hiding in the basement of this place the whole time?"

"Actually we were hanging out in that little town five miles down the road for the past month and a half but that's a whole different topic."

Hikaru grabbed Haruhi's arm and shoved her behind him, nearing sending her to the wall. "I'm sick of this. You can't play around with people like they're toys. Or the way you can walk up to any of us and pretend you've done nothing wrong."

Katsu averted his attention towards Hikaru, with a guilty glint in his eyes to match the smug curve to his lips. "What is with you? You're always so angry."

Hikaru huffed. His eyes twitched, as though he had just ignited two, tiny blazing fire balls. He left his wife's and stepped forward, before Haruhi could even think to grab his hand to try to stop him from moving anywhere.

"You're ignore the fact that you helped kidnap and keep my wife in hiding, or that you shot my brother." He whispered a hiss, stepping up to Katsu, passed Kaoru who was only worried in keeping his own wife close to him.

"If we're both going to ignore that, then I don't know what the hell I'm angry about," He grabbed the front of his shirt, and was mostly surprised that he actually let him. "Maybe it's you in general. The fact that you're apart of this."

He slammed Katsu against the wall. "Why don't you tell me why I'm always angry all the time?"

"I don't know why you talk with such a big chest," Katsu grumbled, tightening his fists against the plaster of the wall. "I'm pretty sure I shot your brother _and_ kicked your ass, so back up."

"Yeah you did but you ran away like a damn coward," Hikaru eased into him, pressing him harder against the wall. "Don't think you an get away with this like last time. The whole damn building will be surrounded in less than a half hour."

"That seems like a long time that we can do what ever the hell we want, doesn't it? You think you're bullet proof just because you're pissed off. Otherwise you wouldn't keep coming after us without the proper _backup_."

Hikaru gasped as his hand came in contact with his stomach. Haruhi screamed for him as he collapsed in a heap, but as she tried to go to him, Kaoru stood in her way, holding her back.

But the moment he tried to keep Haruhi away from Katsu, Mokoto was left unguarded and free from anyone's hold.

She stared in shock at her brother-in-law on the floor. She looked up at the man who had hit him, and scowled, leaving her husband's side instantly.

"You bastard!" She yelled, leaving Kaoru completely conflicted. "You're the one who hurt Kaoru. He almost died that day!"

"Mokoto!"

Katsu glanced at Hikaru as he was struggling to stand up straight from the wind being knocked out of him, and merely stepped over him without a thought.

"I think it's adorable how you ladies kept your mouths shut when you were alone with us, but once the hubby's come along you feel like you can do whatever you want."

Mokoto clenched his knuckles against her shirt, her blood boiled under her skin, heating her face. "You walked away that day. How can you call yourself a human being? You hurt people and don't feel any remorse? How can someone be that heartless?"

He sighed. "I aimed to kill him. He's lucky I'm a bad shot. Don't worry I've been working on it."

As he stepped forward, she step backwards. And as she noticed him trying to grab her wrist she leaned out of his grasp the same time the edge of her flip-flop caught the rim of the rug. She tripped backwards and fell, and would have fallen on her backside had Katsu not grabbed both her arms and kept her upright.

She wanted to spit in his eye, yell and scream in his face. Had he not been a 'bad shot' she would have lost Kaoru that night he didn't come home. The conversation they had in the department store would have been their last. God only knows what she would be doing now.

He pulled her arms so they went over his neck, bringing her to her tiptoes, and her face a mere two inches away from his, their lips only that far apart.

"Why can't girls act like they used to?" He pulled her painfully closer, hissing near her ear. "Things were so quite back then when the wives wouldn't nag, and kept their opinions to themselves. They're so loud now."

She swallowed hard, with her lip disappearing between her teeth. "Well if you wouldn't-"

He placed his finger against her lips. "You should be more like my, Haruhi."

Kaoru stood in front of Haruhi, on guard. With fear trimming his pupils and desperation shaking his tone. "Let her go. Please. You're not going to get what ever it is you from hurting her, she hasn't done anything to any of you."

At that, Katsu let her fall from her hands. She lost her balanced but luckily Kaoru thrown himself on his knees and caught her before her bottom hit the floor. It was painful for him, to move so quickly, but it would have been even more so had he let her fall with the baby.

"She means nothing to me," he sighed and dusted off the invisible dirt of his shirt. He looked up and saw Haruhi looking at Hikaru and Hiroshi with tears, as though she was trying to pick between the two of them.

She gave up and tried to get to Hikaru, but Katsu moved to fast and sidestepped passed Kaoru and Mokoto and grabbed her, making her squeal.

"Hika!"

"Ah! why are you so difficult? You live with him for little over a month and you start acting up," he struggled with her as she tried to get away. "If I had more hands I could get this job done a lot faster. Stop moving."

Hikaru held his hand to his stomach where he was hit and stood up, wincing as his gut ached.

"I don't need to ask why you're doing this," he choked. "Kagami's mad at me, and I understand how Haruhi got mixed into this, but you don't need to keep Kaoru and Mokoto here."

"It's not that. This has nothing to do with them at all." Keiichi huffed, obviously bored. "See... Kagami game us a plan to go by. Slow and Painful. That was it."

"Well that shouldn't apply to them!"

"But don't you get it? It wasn't meant for them." He stood up, leaving Hiroshi on the couch by himself. "It was meant for you."

Hikaru's face fell in confusion. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Why on earth would any of this make Kagami happy if all she did was murder your brother and his wife? That doesn't solve the problem does it?"

"She has a lot of problems."

"It has to be slow and painful for you..." He walked over to Hikaru, pressing a finger to his shoulder. "You broke her heart so it only makes sense for her to break yours." He pressed his finger harder into his shoulder. "It's be pretty heartbreaking for you if you were to loose your whole family in one day, wouldn't it? Right in front of you."

Hikaru glared, slapping away his hand. "How is it that any amount of money that she could offer you could make you do things like this?"

"Well I mean... I was pretty offended all those years ago when my little sister came home crying after finding out her crush was married, then told me to do something about it, so I guess I'm doing something about it."

Hikaru's eyes widened, and his teeth clamped down hard. "You're all _related_? And yet she pays you to do all this dirty work? What kind of sick relationship do you all have with each other?!"

He rolled his eyes, lifting the side of his shirt, grabbing his pistol that was hooked against his belt. "She's Not the one who pays me."

He pulled the automatic from his pants, and turned his head. Seeing that everyone was there. Hikaru panicked and looked for Haruhi, only to find that she was sitting on Katsu's lap. He was holding her close, nuzzling his face inot her hair, while she tried to push him away and grab the baby.

His first impulse was to throw himself at Keiichi as his gun positioned near Kaoru and Mokoto. The gun was knocked out of his hand and slid across the floor the moment they both fell to the rug. Mokoto squealed and clung to Kaoru's neck as they backed up.

Haruhi turned to the mess and gasped, tried to pry Katsu's hands from around her waist. "Hikaru stop!"

"I thought you aid you don't _hurt_ people?" Hikaru growled, pressing his hands against Keiichi's wrists, as they both silently recovered from the impact of the floor. "Are you all just fucking liars?!"

Keiichi twisted, looking at his side, searching for the gun. "Or maybe you're just gullible!" He exclaimed, ripping one of his hands from confinement to grab Hikaru's fist before it touched it face. "This is all your fault. Had you just left things alone, and had accepted that your wife didn't want you, you wouldn't have put all the people you care about in danger. Now I have one hell of a grudge against you."

Hikaru fell back with another gasp as Keiichi's knuckles brushed the side of his cheekbone, but he kept his balance on top of him. He hissed against the pain but he was too busy to worry about the mark it would leave. He laid back on him, pressing his elbow against his throat the moment he tried reaching for his gun that was out of his reach.

"She didn't want to leave us in the first place, you forced her to leave," he grunted, clenching teeth against the inside of his cheek, so much so that he was nearing to break the skin. "You forced her. She wanted no part of any of you or what you were doing to her."

"You had in your mind that she didn't want you and you could have left it at that, but Ootori had to get involved. You would have never found her if it wasn't for all he did."

With his free hand, Keiichi shoved his shoulder, twisting around so Hikaru ended on the floor below him, being the one with stronger arms, he held him down, reaching for his gun that Kaoru was nice enough to kick out of his reach.

Kaoru held onto his wife's hand, feeling his heart-rate bursting our of his chest. "You don't have to do this anymore. Even if you get all of us, nothing will be solved. Kagami can't be mad at someone she didn't even try for. If she didn't put any effort to get Hikaru to like her she can't blame him for being with someone else!"

Ignoring Kaoru completely, Keiichi kicked Hikaru off of him and rolled onto his back, grasping his gun by barely hooking his finger around the trigger. And it was then that Kaoru questioned himself, as to why he didn't just grab it himself.

But he supposed that, unlike his brother, he actually knew not to make the bad guys mad at him.

Hikaru coughed, clutching his stomach, as that was the second time he was hit there. He managed to hit on his knees and get the perfect view of the man aiming the gun right at his head.

"Hibiki had the perfect opportunity to kill you and Haruhi that day. You both tied and at his mercy," Keiichi panted, getting to his feet, pulling the safety off the gun. "Luckily Kagami didn't want you dead. She liked you too much. Now, with you being so sure of your decision, we can do what we want, and quite frankly you've been a pain in my ass."

Hikaru didn't move. He clutched his stomach and stared into the barrel. The room was silent as the gun clicked.

"Stop!" Kaoru cried, tears rimmed his lashes as he watched a gun meeting his brother's forehead. "We'll do whatever you want. Whoever is paying you we'll make it double, whatever you want. Just please... please don't hurt my brother. Leave him alone."

"Ah _man_ ," He turned, sticking his lip out, making an inch with his free hand. "You were _this_ close to not being on my hit list. You just had to open your mouth and say something."

Kaoru inhaled, backing up as he aimed the gun at him. And being the only one in that room who actually knew what could come next he froze and his brain couldn't make his feet move. He felt Mokoto grip his hand tighter, standing at his side, gripping his shirt with her other hand.

Hikaru tried to get to his feet, and grab his wrist before he made any move. But Keiichi's finger was faster than Hikaru arm and the gun went off before he shoved him against the wall, knocking the gun out of his hands again.

Kaoru looked down with a gulp, but it hadn't hit him. He wasn't sure where the bullet had gone but it wasn't towards him. His eardrums buzzed from the loud bang, but no one was even sure what got hit.

Until the hand that was holding his loosened and the one who was standing beside him only seconds before, fell at his feet.

The air was taken from her lungs so much so that Mokoto couldn't find enough to scream. Only silently did she clutch at her upper stomach and fall to her knees, using her other hand to grip the closest thing to her to fight the sudden, which was her husband's pant leg.

Kaoru couldn't breathe. He dropped to his knees along with her and threw his arms around her, feeling her shake against his touch.

"M-... Moko..." he barely managed. His lips parting widely, not being able to find the words. He looked her over immediately, brushing her hair out of her face as she cried against his shirt. "...Baby?"

His body went numb as her once solid pale shirt was turned red. He rested his hand where hers was and was utterly horrified to bring his hand back and see the top of hers sponged with blood.

He held her head against his chest, soothing her cheek with his thumb. With frightened tears, he turned to his brother, and look Hikaru caught sight of certainly did break part of his heart.

He stood up and lunged for Keiichi. "Son of a bitch! What was that for?!"

Keiichi sidestepped and grabbed Hikaru's arm, twisting it backwards before slamming him against the wall. It was then that Hikaru cursed himself for not having more upper body strength, or any strength for that matter. When you're a laidback fashion designer, that just isn't something you bother with.

Mokoto made a weak sound, holding her stomach as her other hand gripped and scratched at Kaoru's sleeve. "Kao... it _hurts_."

Kaoru's throat tightened, moving her to lay on his arm as she collapsed against his chest. His heart was beating fast and painful. It was sudden and he wasn't prepared.

"...I know," he breathed, looking around them, as if he'd find something that would help, when obviously there wasn't anything. "...I know... Mo, it's going to be okay. I-... I'll get you out of here. I just..."

She looked up at him, feeling her tears touch her jawline. "About... what about the... the baby?"

He opened his mouth, only not to say a thing He wiped his tears with his should and shook his head, gently laying his forehead against hers.

Pain dominated her torso. Her weak fingers entwined with his. He held her hand back as tight as he dared. "It's going to be okay, Mokoto, you're going to be okay, I promise."

Her lips quivered. "...I'm scared."

He just nodded, cupping her cheek to kiss her nose. "I am too, but it's going to be okay, they'll get here. You'll get help. Every things going to be okay."

He kept saying that, though he was sure it was more to assure himself than her.

"You see what you did?" Keiichi grumbled, holding onto Hikaru's arm in it's twisted position, making the ginger hiss in pain. "It was just about, Haruhi. But you had to get your whole family involved."

Hikaru panted heavily, biting his cheek as his elbow was twists a little further for tease. "I didn't do anything. You're the one who involved them."

He glared at him, passed his messy bangs. The side of his cheek twitched in bubbling rage, and thus he pressed Hikaru harder against the wall, making him cry out from the pain in his arm.

"I know everything. There were those you cared about you, and those who cared too much. And you took advantage of that to let them help you." He held him harder against the wall. "You let them get involved. All of this is your fault."

"Hikaru!" Haruhi finally spoke up, being constricted in Katsu's arms. Her face was wet with her own tears, ones that had welded from so many different reasons. "Don't listen to him Hikaru. This isn't your fault. Keiichi, let him go!"

Hikaru turned to her, his lips parted and his eyes glazing over with the sense to just give up. To give everything up and them take everything. Because there wasn't anything else he could do.

There wasn't ever anything he could do. He was completely useless from the start.

"Hika..." she continued, still trying to pull Katsu's strong arms away from her. "He's doing this on purpose. Don't let him get in your head. He likes to hurt people. That's all he's ever done. You're better than him, you always have been. I've never blamed you for any of this and neither has anyone else."

"She says that now that you're listening," Keiichi huffed, leaning his face in closer to Hikaru. "She blamed you for a long time. You sent her away and it was all your fault. Isn't that what you said, Haru-darling?"

"That was to myself and before I knew what you were really doing!"

Katsu held her tighter, glaring as she kept talking. From the pressure he put on her stomach with his arm, she gasped, and tried to pull them away, but couldn't. Her nails sunk into his kin in his hands, and as his hold became nearly bone crushing tight she gave up and thrust her head backwards against his face, making him throw her out of his arms onto the floor.

Hikaru heard her squeal and turned to her, conflicted, not knowing what to.

"I'm not arguing with you," he muttered, feeling a tightening sensation in his arm. "I've made mistakes. Ones I can't take back. But they don't include rejecting Kagami. It pissed her off, but she should have already known that there's that little something she couldn't have because someone already took it."

With both his hands trapped, he thrust his knee up, hitting Keiichi between his legs. He gasped and nearly collapsed at that, but didn't. Though his hold on his did loosen, and so did his grip on the gun. Which fell right into Hikaru's hands.

Hikaru shoved his backwards, making his stumbled. "I'm sick of this shit." It wasn't until then that he realized that he was actually holding the gun, and was even more aware of what he could do with it when he held it up towards Keiichi.

Both Kaoru and Haruhi stared in horror as Hikaru pressed the gun against Keiichi's chest, with no emotion anywhere on his face.

"Kagami is already pissed off at me," his lips twitched in inner disgust. "I wonder how she'd feel about me if I did what you just did my sister-in-law. If I shot you like Katsu shot _my_ brother."

Keiichi groaned, barely having breath in his lungs to talk from previous blow. "Then do it." He moved his hand out, to grab Hikaru's wrist, pressing the gun to his own forehead. "Do it. You want to. You're angry, so do it. Right here in front of everyone."

Hikaru breathed from his nose like an angry bull. "I want to, but I'm _not_ ," he lowered his hand, "because I'm not like you. I don't hurt people."

"I know, that's what makes us different," he smirked, with his hand still gripping Hikaru's wrist. He threw his arm against the wall, holding it in place. "You're so much better than any of us. You're innocent and weak and wouldn't hurt a fly. You probably would have done it, if your pretty little wife hadn't been watching. Who knows, you could have actually saved everyone here."

"You want to be seen as the good guy," he added, "In her eyes you want her to see you as the perfect one." He cupped his hand against Hikaru's, pressing his other one to his shoulder, keeping his whole body against the wall again.

Hikaru struggled to move, and to let go of the gun, but his hand was taped to it, as Keiichi made him hold it. He eye's widened as his finger was being held harder and harder against the giving trigger. He turned to see where the gun was pointed to and was horrified that he couldn't do anything about it. He was pinned, unable to move any part of his body.

"Haruhi move!"

Then, the front doors were busted down, shouts of an unknown amount of officers were heard in the foyer. And Haruhi was too overwhelmed that she didn't react.

Keiichi's smirk was the last thing he saw as the gun went off. And before the officers could enter the right room, Mokoto was fighting consciousness and Haruhi was left, clutching her arm in pain.

Hikaru fell to his knees as Keiichi was pried away from him. Everything was in slow motion. Sounds around him were muffled and he wanted to puke.

 _This is what Kagami wanted..._


	32. Chapter 32

**It's Over**

* * *

"What were you thinking? Why didn't you tell anyone else?" Tamaki stood up from his chair, eyebrows twitching furiously. "You sent them in there by themselves. Hikaru and Kaoru just became their own personal punching bags!"

Kyouya remained calm, sitting with his arms crossed. "We weren't expecting the men to be there already. And there was nothing else we could do. We had to wait for the officers to arrive from Bunkyo, and by the time they would have gotten there Haruhi and Mokoto would have been dead before any of us could bat an eye."

"You couldn't have sent any one with them? You know as well as everyone else does of what those men were going to do, you put Hikaru, Kaoru and the girls at risk."

"There was officers at the house with them and more on the way when those two got to the house. We weren't counting on anyone being there. They were just supposed to get them and the baby out and we were going to leave. My officers never contacted me about anything at that point."

Tamaki fell back into his chair, turning to his side. "I just thought that you'd have something up your sleeve. Like an extra group hiding out around the house so something like this wouldn't happen."

"That group _hiding out_ was Kagami's brother's." Kyouya answered sourly.

"They were waiting just a couple miles from the house," he continued, "when Kagami contacted them they left and got there right before we could. They had Haruhi and Mokoto alone with them, managed to get he officers who were already there, out of their way, and sat toying with them until we got there. They were waiting for us."

"But still!" The blonde exclaimed, frustrated. "It was stupid to just have them just run in there like that. Kaoru was already injured, and you know what Hikaru thinks he's capable of."

"It isn't Kyo-chan's fault," Huni piped up, pouting as he held Hiroshi close in his arms. "Haru-chan and Moko-chan would have gotten hurt either way. Hika-chan and Kao-chan were just trying to protect them."

"...It didn't make any difference."

They turned to Hikaru, who had been silent until just then.

"But Hika-chan," Huni frowned, adjusting the heavy baby on his lap. "Haru-chan and the baby were alone. They would have wanted-"

"Well it's not like it was better with us there." His throat tightened, sorely. "We should have left it to the professionals if it was just going to end the same way."

He stared down at his lap, gripping the fabric of his hoodie between his fingers. "...I shot her "

Kaoru, who was propped up against the wall in the corner, turned to his older brother. With dry tears stained on his red cheeks. He had thrown off his jacket a long time ago, that was dyed red, by something he was sure was going to haunt him for the rest of his life.

"It wasn't your fault, Hikaru," he muttered quietly, not trusting his own voice. "She was in the way, he forced you into a corner. He made you do it."

"My finger hit the trigger first. _I_ shot her." Hikaru corrected him, firmly. "I put so much time, money and effort into looking her for the last two years, spending the whole time with the woman who had her in hiding the whole time, fine her, treat her like she doesn't belong, send her away, and shot her."

"It's been a difficult time for everyone," Kaoru claimed, staring a blank hole into the floor. "You didn't know. You didn't do anything wrong. Kaga-

"I _shot,_ Haruhi," Hikaru repeated a little louder. "Why don't you tell me what I _didn't_ do wrong?"

Kaoru didn't reply, only shook his head and glanced to his side, where he was hoping a doctor would appear, but there was no one. Only a nurse who was talking to a small child.

His chest tightened and he looked away, slowly letting out a breath he had no idea he was holding.

After the officers finally invaded the house they took Mokoto and Haruhi away from everything and got them into an ambulance before they managed to arrest Katsu and Keiichi and help the other injured officers that were locked upstairs.

Everything for them ran in slow motion. He was sure a little piece of him died, as he sat there on his knees, hands and face besmirched in blood from where he held his wife, and when she touched his cheek. As she was lifted away out of his arms he was ready to collapse himself, had it not been for another officer, who helped him to his feet.

While he and Hikaru weren't necessarily injured, they were sore and rode in the car that the officers rode in, leaving the other van for Katsu and Keiichi to be taken into custody in Bunkyo.

There was no time to go a Kyouya's family's hospital, Mokoto was in too critical of state to make such a trip, so they cut it short and drove to the first hospital that came up on their GPS. It wasn't as fancy as the Ootori's hospitals, but it served it purpose well enough.

Though it didn't matter to him which hospital they stayed at. His chest still felt heavy with worry and he couldn't tell himself anything that his friends hadn't already told him.

They'll be okay, Kaoru. The doctors know what they're doing.

Everything's going to be fine.

Everything's going to be fine...

If only he could say that out loud. But those just words couldn't pass his lips.

Kaoru let out another breath, leaning his head against the wall.

Hiroshi struggled in Huni's arms, whimpering in discouragement. His legs dangled of the blonde's while his tiny fingers pinched his arms demanding to be put down. Huni pulled him back up, whispering to him that he needed to hold still, but the baby won and was placed on his feet.

The short blonde frowned, anxiously watching the small baby wobble across the waiting room, a look of determination creased on his soft forehead.

Hikaru looked down from the ceiling, when his face suddenly scrunched up by the sudden feel of his son's hands on his knee. They stared at one another for a moment before Hiroshi rubbed his face into his father's pant leg, sniffling from a stuffed nose.

Weak hearted for the look the baby was giving him, Hikaru picked him up from under his arms and sat him on his lap. He watched as he rubbed his tiny wrist into his face, sniffling and a long unseen smirk broke out against his lips.

Still awkward when he held him, Hikaru adjusted him on his knee. He knew the baby was his, but he still had yet to get used to the idea. For so long he had been alone. Then the day he finally finds his wife, he's a father too.

Being parents was something they talked about for over a year before she went missing. He wasn't disappointed, but it was unexpected. Everything was still just a haze. It didn't seem real and if he'd fall asleep one night, he still feared he'd wake up alone. Wallowing in his own self pity, regretting everything.

The baby looked up, teary-eyed with a soggy face. He looked sick, and despite everything with being slightly disgusted, Hikaru still used his hand to wipe his cheek.

He wrinkled his nose, smirking slightly. "...You're gross."

The baby sniffled, oblivious to what he said.

Tamaki turned to them both, making a face, but his expression quickly faltered and faded to a blank stare.

He sighed and fell back deep into his chair. "Sorry... I guess I overreacted."

"We know it was stupid," Hikaru muttered under his breath, barely wanting to say anything at all, "but Haruhi and Mokoto are our responsibilities. We couldn't just sit still and wait for something to happen."

"I get it," the blonde leaned his head back, folding his arms. "I guess... I'm just mad because you didn't ask for help. None of us even knew you left town."

"We weren't going to involve anyone else."

"I know. It was mostly thinking that you guys didn't think you had anyone else to help you. That you thought you _had_ to so it by yourselves."

"We had to do it ourselves. It didn't involve anyone but us. It was our business and I wasn't going to have anyone else get hurt because of Kagami. She's my problem. I didn't even want Kaoru to come either but Mokoto got into the mix and there was nothing else we could do."

Kyouya glanced up from his lap where his tablet sat. "There really isn't anything else anyone else could do. Hikaru's the only one who really understands the situation. Kagami was only interested in him the whole time."

"She claimed she's been in love with me since high school. She got jealous when Haruhi and I got married and she plotted this ever since she knew we were engaged. She had Haruhi sent away, making me think Haruhi left willingly." Hikaru answered.

"We came so close in finding her so many times that they followed Mokoto home from the store one day and kidnapped her instead so we'd have a distraction. Once we had them both back she decided that if she couldn't have what she wanted then no one could, so once we had them moved to the safe house, they had a clear easy shot, and went for it."

"But that's what still confuses me..." Kyouya admitted, as much as it hurt his ego to actually admit he was clueless about anything. "That email I received earlier. The one that had Haruhi's location on it... Who sent it? If Kagami didn't want Haruhi to be found. Someone else had to have sent that to me. And more importantly... how did they know my email in the first place?"

Hikaru hesitated, pulling Hiroshi closer to his chest, letting him rest his head against him.

"I don't know... Katsu wanted Haruhi to himself. Keiichi didn't care either way and just wanted her dead. There was another man before them that she mentioned... She said he was a sick old guy."

Kyouya adjusted his glasses, turning off his device. "The email came from the strange café where we found Mokoto. Maybe someone there knew Haruhi and didn't agree with what Kagami was doing."

Hikaru looked back down at the baby, musing his soft hair with his fingers. "...If they didn't give a name then they don't want to be known. We could just accept it, and thank god whoever it was who sent that, that they did."

 _Because whoever it was... I own them everything._

"Mr. Hitachiin?"

Both Hikaru and Kaoru looked up. Their eyes fell on a doctor standing in the corner and Hikaru sat up so fast Hiroshi nearly fell out of his arms.

The doctor cleared his throat, flipping a page that laid on his clipboard. Removing his eyes from the very identical brothers.

"Uh... Hikaru Hitachiin."

Hikaru didn't move so he continued.

"Your wife, Mrs. Hitachiin, has been out for a while. She's been in the recovery room. She's waiting for you. She says she'd like to talk to you."

He sat Hiroshi on the chair, where he formally sat. "...She's okay?"

"Physically, yes. She's fine. Emotionally however... not so much."

* * *

The heavy white door to her recovery room opened. The doctor left his side to leave them alone after showing him the way and went to attend to another poor soul.

He looked around the room. Like everything else it was painfully white. A sore for the eyes to stare at for so long, but his eyes immediately fell on her. Standing by the window, dressed in her own clothes, even her blood stained sweater.

A flooding feeling of relief came over him. He resisted collapsing against the doorframe, but a heavy breath just left him and he stood there, just admiring her standing, looking okay. Just _being_ okay.

She turned slowly, hearing his shallow exhales. "...Hika?"

She saw him and turned back around, sneaking her sleeve to her face.

He walked in, clenching nearly every muscle in his body. "...You've been out of surgery for almost an hour."

She bit her lip, nodding slightly. "It wasn't so much _surgery_... They just patched me up. It wasn't serious."

He shook his head. His slow footsteps echoed. "It was serious to me. That's forty-five more minutes I wouldn't have had to sit there thinking I hurt you more than I actually did."

Her throat tightened. "You didn't hurt me, the bullet just grazed my arm. It's okay now. I can go home whenever I want. That's what the doctors said."

He stepped up to her. Seeing their hazed reflections in the tall window, out looking the small town. His hears, but their fingers barely brushed when he noticed her reddened cheeks and swollen eyes. He watched her blink her wet lashes.

He grasped her shoulder, turning her to face him. "Haruhi... It was an accident. I couldn't move. I didn't know he was going to make me-"

"I know. It wasn't your fault."

His hand moved to the other side of her face, feeling her hair fall between his fingers, and old tears soak into his palm. "I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't want any of this to happen. Baby... I thought-"

"You didn't hurt me, Hikaru."

Even for him it was getting harder to talk. "Why were you crying?"

She moved her uninjured arm to move her hand to her face, wiping her face again in another failed attempt to hide it. "I wanted to be alone for a little while... I was thinking."

Hikaru grabbed her other shoulder, holding her in front of him completely. His hand glided through her hair, pulling it behind her ear. He pulled her close, cupping her cheeks to kiss her forehead.

"I'm sorry," he managed, holding her still. "I'm sorry, Haruhi... About all of this. This was all my fault. I made so many mistakes. I don't know how to fix them. At times I thought I was doing the right thing, but I wasn't. I thought I was the only one getting hurt. I only thought about myself. I gave up. I should have kept looking. I would have found you if I didn't-"

She pulled his hands away, staring at their feet. "It wasn't your fault. It was Kagami's fault. You had no idea. We talked about this already before and I said I wasn't going to hold anything against you. And I'm still not. You didn't fire that gun, Keiichi did. That's what he does. He hurts people, even if he claims to be innocent. None of this was your fault. You're just as much of a victim as everyone else. Kagami used you."

He shook, taking slow breaths, feeling his eyes glazing over behind his lids. "I promised I wouldn't hurt you. I couldn't protect you from anything. I only made it worse."

Her shoulders fell, frowning at his wet eyes. "Are we talking about that evening or last year?"

He looked at her, and their eyes locked. "...I don't know anymore. Though I'm starting to contemplate whether going to that house was even a good idea. With what happened even when I went to... whatever would have happened if I didn't go. Which would have had the better out come..."

She cupped his cheeks this time, letting his warm skin heat her cold hands. "We would have been dead either way. They were waiting for you to come. If you didn't come and only more officers showed up they would have killed us both then. But you came first anyway. You made sure you'd get there first. You weren't thinking about yourself, you wouldn't have just stood there when he pointed that gun at you."

"...I could have shot him instead of you."

"I'm glad you didn't. Hikaru, you did the right thing."

"If I had no one else would have gotten hurt."

She stared at him. Watching his welding tears and listening to his voice hitch more and more with eroding sobs. Her hands fell from his cheeks, but she didn't move, and neither did his face.

"Hikaru..." Haruhi breathed. "You don't hurt people. And he knew you wouldn't have done it. That isn't a bad thing. You don't hurt people, so that no matter who they are they could feel safe with you, and even if you don't think so, you _did_ protect me. "

Then, as his eyes finally moved to look at her again, she slapped him. The sound of her palm striking his cheek filled the whole room, and while it didn't necessarily hurt, the look on his face spoke of the shock he felt.

He gasped, blinking, wide-eyed at the floor.

"So shut up," she added and her sob-strained tone pained him more than the slap did. "You weren't meant to hurt anyone, no matter what they did. If you shot Keiichi Katsu was still there and that would have made it worse. You did all you could and no one ever expected you to do any more than that."

He looked at her again, gawking, just watching her tears escapes past her lashes. His hands shook at his sides, but he wasn't mad. He hurt, but it wasn't his cheek. His chest kept building up. Burning. Aching. His heart hurt. And he wasn't sure what it was from, whether it was from what she said, or if it was from seeing how much she was hurting too.

"I don't want to listen to you destroy yourself anymore," she took a long trembling breath. "We don't have to worry about it anymore. You did nothing wrong, and if you're still unset about what he said, _no_. I don't think you're perfect. No one thinks you're perfect. I'm not perfect either. But you don't have to be. I love you and all you have to do is love us back."

Speechless, he reached out, hooking the sipper to her sweater between his thumb and finger. He pulled it down slowly, revealing her shirt. It was smeared with blood most likely from when she wiped her hands on it. He un hooked the zipper from the bottom and pulled her sweater down from her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor behind her.

His hand ran over her bare arm, looking at, and feeling the white bandage that was wrapped around her wound. His touch was so light she barely felt it. His other hand touched her face, moving to the back of her neck.

She shivered against his touch, but didn't hesitated to move closer when he pulled her to him. Her face rested against his collarbone, comforted in his warmth.

"Oh god Haruhi..." he hid his face in her hair as he finally started to cry. "I've missed you so much."

She sniffled against his shirt, encircling her arms around his sides. "I've missed you too... I never want to leave you again."

He shook his head, holding her tighter, holding her head against him. Tears streamed passed his cheeks. "Until this is over... I've never letting you out of my sight. That was stupid. I should have never sent you away... I won't ever do it again."

She gripped his shirt tighter, crying into his chest. "It is over Hikaru... It's over."

He drew a shaky breath, trying to calm himself. "It's not. It's not going to be over... Kagami's still out there somewhere, she'll-"

"No, she isn't our problem," Haruhi didn't try so hard. She held onto him even tighter, as if she was afraid he'd leave her. "Katsu and Keiichi, and Hibiki... They're gone. They can't hurt us anymore."

His hand disappeared into her hair again, holding her more securely, and so close his body was almost shaking with hers. To her, it was over. They were gone. The men who had hurt her more than anyone else has ever had were gone. They couldn't hurt her anymore.

"Yeah," he smoothed her hair, closing his eyes. "They're gone. No one's ever going to hurt you that way ever again, Haruhi... I promise."

"I want things back to normal," she cried, and her tears finally sunk into his shirt, touching his skin. "I want to forget about this."

He kissed her head, rubbing her arms. "Me too. Every things going to be okay now. We're done."

"Please... I want to go home."

He inhaled her scent, his tears rolling down his cheeks into her hair. "We're going home."

She tried to breathe, but everything was stuffed. "I love you so much, Hikaru."

He squeezed her, tight, before letting his arms go. He held her out to himself, brushing the side of his thumb across her cheek, wiping below her eyes, wiping her face with the hem of his own sleeve.

And again, her held her face in his hands. Staring into her very brown, very familiar eyes. They were one of the few things that didn't change when she was gone.

"I died inside when you didn't come back," he admitted, clenching his jaw. "I've never been able to imagine what my life would be like without you in it. But if it's anything like my life was without you then, then it'd kill me. Haruhi. I love you so much. I can live without you, but I wouldn't want to. I'd rather be dead anyway then to even think about being away from you anymore."

She swallowed, laying her hand against his. Her throat hurt to speak, but words came out anyway.

"I know," she managed to reply. "I love you more than anything. I never stopped thinking about you. Thinking about you was the only thing that made it okay until I thought about you so much it hurt. It hurt so much that I couldn't say your name anymore. I never want to feel that way again. I never want to be without you ever again."

He brought her close again, but he tilted her face, and brought his lips to hers. His hands held her still, deepening their kiss. With one hand behind her head, and the other down at the small of her back, he couldn't try to keep her any closer than he already was.

She leaned further into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. It was as though something big and great was lifted off of her. She left lighter, and happier. She pulled away only to pull him closer, capturing his lips in her, again and again. It getting hotter between them, as they resisted in pulling away.

They had kissed before, even when she came back. But that time in the car, was nothing. It meant nothing to either of them. It was just him trying to make her think it was okay for her to leave him, and her not being able to say no. Then the night full of kisses, and just laying next to each other, when he had snuck in to see her. It was just to reassure the other they there was still something. And not all was lost.

Now it was different. They loved each other, and knew that if one of them were to leave and not come back, they'd live, but wouldn't be okay. That they needed each other or nothing would ever be right. They kissed now, and just simply couldn't pull away from each other.

But eventually they had to, to breathe. They let out a breath at the same time, panting heavily against the other's open lips.

They pulled away, but stayed close. Their faces were wet, sobs still hung in their throats. But as they looked at each other, they both, despite everything, grinned brightly and let out a sheepish laugh at the other.

And that was the moment, they were finally together again. They had always been together. But now, emotionally, they were back together.

And he'd never let her go again.

* * *

"...Mr. Hitachiin?"

This time, Kaoru stood up straight. It had been hours, but he still stood there, as if the hours of sleep he was loosing wasn't taking a toll on him at all. He locked eyes with the doctor who stood in the entryway of the waiting room, and his heart nearly leaped out of his chest.

He answered him, in an anxious tone. Barely controlling his urge to scream.

"Is she...?"

The doctor removed his glasses. His forehead creased from his many years, and his deep frown he was forcing Kaoru to work with.

"I have good news and.. bad news."

Kaoru, already devastated, couldn't have looked anymore shattered than he already did, but he could barely reply.

"Is she okay?"

"...Fortunately the baby was seven months along, and we managed to save her through surgery. But... doing so you wife's blood pressure dropped tremendously. Her wound before hand was already too high, the bleeding was too much and we couldn't stop it."

Kaoru couldn't wrap his head around it. It was too much of something he didn't want to hear.

"But... She's okay?"

"She's on oxygen. We're giving her transfusions but she looses blood way too fast. There isn't anything else we can do for her now."

He couldn't speak. "Nothing else you can do, means... she's done right? She's going to be okay."

"If her blood pressure continues to fail as it's doing now, she won't make it through the night."

The doctor avoided the look in his eyes. "...I'm sorry."


	33. Chapter 33

**Just Live**

* * *

Kaoru opened his eyes to a pain in his head. His gaze was greeted with the white textured ceiling. He tried to sit up, but was held back down by the powerful feeling as if there were a thousand boulders strapped to his chest.

His ears perked up at the sound of a rhythmic tone of the machines around him. It was the only thing that continued to remind him that what he was living wasn't just a nightmare.

A voice spoke up at his side, and something touched his shoulder, but he barely reacted.

"Kaoru," they said again, a little louder. "...Are you okay?"

His head turned, pressing his cheek to the pillow. "...Hika?"

His brother looked down at him, taking his hand off his arm to brush his hair out of his eyes. "Yeah. Are you okay?"

Kaoru hesitated. Outside he felt fine. His side, where he was wounded months ago, itched behind his stitches, and besides the throb at his crown he felt nothing.

"Yeah..." he answered, "I... I just..."

Hikaru frowned. "The doctor said you fainted. You've been out of it for about fifteen minutes. I was just checking on you."

The last thing he could remember was sitting in the waiting room. He remembered hushed voices of the people around him, watching nurses rush back and forth, and the vague image of a doctor's face. One of which he forgot the features of his face.

What he told him was the reason why he had pushed all of that information to the back of his brain. Not wanting to think about it.

"Where's, Mokoto?"

Hikaru opened his mouth, then closed it long enough to rethink his words. "The doctors felt bad, so they brought you into her room."

Kaoru turned to where his brother was gesturing to, and stared at his wife, asleep in the hospital bed, clear across the room. His heart sank, and his fallen blood pressure was surely the cause for him blacking out earlier. He could feel it.

He thought he had dreamt it. He didn't think the doctor's words were true.

But they were very true.

He sat up, Holding his hand to his hair. She looked so lifeless. Strapped to so many machines he could barely see her. It was all just a bundle of wires and blankets. Her dark hair being the only splash of color, sprawled out on the thin pillow.

He watched the lines in the monitor run zigzag across the screen, listening to it beep every time a new line was made.

He felt guilty. There were so many things he could blame himself for, so many things he could say that happened because of him or what he did or didn't do. Though nothing specific was coming to mind, he couldn't voice anything, as nothing could make this horrible feeling go away.

His heart was twisting, clutching every blood vessel in his body. Was this what genuine fear felt like?

Hikaru stared at his brother before taking a seat beside him on the long couch. Taking no time in taking him in his arms, securely.

"I'm sorry, Kaoru," he spoke quietly, stuffing his face into the crook of his neck. "About all this... I'm sorry."

"What's going to happen now?" Kaoru didn't move, letting his twin hug him tighter. "What am I gonna do if she-"

"Don't think about it," Hikaru answered. "Never think about it."

"I don't know what to do."

"I know."

He did know, but he had no advice, nothing to say that would make it better. He understood everything his little brother was thinking, and feeling. He understood it more now than he would if he put it in words.

In this case, actions made more sense than words.

"There's some good news," he continued in a whisper. "Mokoto's condition isn't improving, but she isn't getting worse. But... you get to be a daddy sooner than you thought."

At that, Kaoru shifted against him, loosening his hold on his brother's shirt. "But I thought..."

Since the moment Mokoto looked up at him in the house, seconds after being hit, he was sure the baby didn't make it.

"The baby's a little small," Hikaru added, as though it mattered. "but the nurses say she's really cute."

Kaoru sat up straight. Letting his twins hands fall from him completely. "It's a girl?"

"Mmm. They couldn't do anything about it. They would have lost her, but," Hikaru turned to Mokoto, "The emergency caesarean didn't help Mokoto though. Her heath declined and her blood pressure practically dropped to nothing, but..."

He paused as he looked at his twin's face. "But I think she'll be okay. She's stubborn."

"Those men," Kaoru muttered, secretly letting his brother know to drop the subject. "Kagami's brother's. Where are they now?"

"In custody, from what Kyouya said." Hikaru said, laying his elbows on his knees. "He said their trial won't be for a long time, but they're not getting out any time soon. We're done with them."

Kaoru nodded. He wanted them dead, but he knew that wouldn't solve anything. It wouldn't change what they did, but if it brought justice to what they did to Haruhi and Mokoto, it would make him feel better.

He turned to Mokoto, watching her do nothing. "...What do we do now?"

"Whatever we want," Hikaru replied. " _You_ can. Haruhi wants to take Hiroshi and go home, but I can't relax until I know where Kagami is. I need to find her so I know nothing like this will happen again."

"I'm sure that with her brothers in prison now... that she has an even bigger grudge towards us."

"Until we find her, I'm positive that she won't stop until we're all dead."

"And what do we do until then? Look for her? wait until one by one we all go missing? Are we really going to raise kids around this?"

"I don't want to," Hikaru said quietly, thinking about the son he just barely found out he had. "But there isn't anything else we can do. We can go into complete hiding. We could move to another country, we could drop the kids off at stranger's doorsteps and hope Kagami doesn't get her hands on them, but I don't want to. We just... need to do everything we can to find her."

Kaoru's eyes never left Mokoto. "I don't want her in custody. The police will do nothing with her. What if she pleads insanity? She won't go to prison."

"No, she won't."

"I don't want her to exist anymore. I want her dead."

Hikaru winched at his brother's tone. He moved as close to him as he dared and grabbed his shoulder, comfortingly. "She's going to be okay, Kao."

"I let this happen. I didn't do something she expected me do to. I've promised things I shouldn't have promised." Kaoru closed his eyes. "And it's going to eat away at me until I rot."

"I know it feels that way, but your job isn't to protect her, it isn't your fault she got hurt." Hikaru reached for his hand, holding it tight the moment their palms touched. "You can do everything you can to keep her safe, but the first time she gets hurt you can't immediately blame yourself. That isn't going to make anything better."

His head fell against his shoulder. "She doesn't have a reason to try and get better if you aren't trying. You both have to be strong. At least pretend you are. You don't have to let her know what you're really thinking."

Kaoru laid his head against his. "You have the audacity to give me advice, but when you were wallowing in the midst of your depression you wouldn't even let me talk to you. And would only let Kagami into the house with you?"

"Yeah well... you and I are different." Hikaru pushed away from him and stood up. With dry eyes he turned to the door and fixed the cuffs of his shirt. "But it doesn't matter. No matter how much you decide to sit there and cry over how much you messed up, just know, at least you weren't the one who sat and socialized, and ate breakfast every morning with the person who was holding your wife and son hostage for a two years, and got both your sister-in-law and your brother almost killed."

"That was me," he added. "Between you and I, you're the one who at least tried to make things better. I shut everyone out instead of trying to help. I cried and complained when I should have done something. You don't have the right to beat yourself up when you've done nothing wrong."

Kaoru didn't say anything. He looked away from his brother, and Hikaru took that as a silent sign to leave him and his wife alone. He gave one last sympathetic smile towards his little brother before leaving.

The door shut quietly behind him.

He stood up from the couch. His body was like stone, barely able to lift his heavy legs as he walked to the bed. He didn't want to touch her, or anything, in fear he might mess something up, so he just looked at her, as if waiting for her to open her eyes and greet him.

What Hikaru said to him made sense, but it didn't make a difference. No matter who it was who did what, he was responsible for Mokoto, but he put his twin's needs before hers. Maybe no one would have gotten hurt if he hadn't opened his mouth.

He fell into the chair beside her, taking her hand that had no Iv's, and gently laid his head down on the bed. It had been a long day, and his fifteen minutes of unconsciousness didn't cut it.

He then fell asleep almost instantly.

* * *

The night changed to early morning. The moon flipped for a sun that was draped with fog, thus making for a gloomy day. It was a perfect time for word of death to come to them, but thankfully, none did.

Mayuki's blood pressure remained stable, and Kaoru had to practically be pried away from her with a crowbar as the doctors came into her room.

Everyone who had left earlier the night before took no time in coming back, just to check on those who had to stay there.

Haruhi looked down at her hand that suddenly became warm with another, and used her free hand to cup over the wound in her arm. She turned to her husband, watching if his somber expression had changed; it didn't.

"We have no trail to follow," Kyouya mentioned, sitting a few seats from them. "There isn't anything else we can do than branch out onto another wild goose chase like before."

"We're sitting ducks if we stay were we are," Hikaru frowned. "If she's going to be running loose around Japan I can't let either of us to stay in the same place as we were. Kagami knows where we both live."

"As I said earlier, I suggest you both move. Kaoru mentioned that they was going to get rid of their condo anyway, it works. You'll just have to make sure it's far away. Move somewhere Kagami won't even think of looking. If we find her, you can move again if you want, but for the mean time, find somewhere and prepare to stay there for a year or two."

"If we have to move, I'd prefer we go somewhere where we'll plan to be there for a long time." Haruhi added, clenching her fingers.

"There is something I was concerned about," Kyouya scrolled through his tablet. "Kagami took your car. Did she dump it off somewhere or do you still not know where it is?"

Hikaru shrugged. "I don't know. For all I know she still has it."

"If she does, it might make this all easier."

"How?"

Kyouya didn't look up from his tablet. "Do you remember the license plate number?"

"I'd have to look through some stuff at home to make sure."

"If we can figure it out, I can give it to one of the men working under me and they might be able to track it through media. It'll be risky, if she catches on or finds out we're looking for her, she'll get rid of the car, sell it to someone, if she hasn't already."

"Can't we put her on a 'most wanted' list? Send higher ranked officers out for her?"

"Her crime isn't bad enough for that. All we can do is work with the police. If we get her information out she wouldn't be able to just hop on a plane and leave the country. She'd get caught. All we can do is wait."

Hikaru's arm snaked around Haruhi's shoulder, pulling her close enough to lean on him. "I don't want to wait anymore. It was yesterday afternoon, she couldn't have gotten far."

"We're trying to find leads, but remember, I'm a legitimate business owner, not a private detective. This is going to take some time, and I'm not promising that we're actually going to find her. She's smarter than any average criminal. She has people to do her dirty work."

"All the people she had doing her dirty work are in prison now. she only had her brothers. Any secret group she mentioned doesn't exist. She's just crazy."

"Just because her brother's can't help her doesn't mean she can't find anyone else. Anyone could be desperate to get a little cash."

"Kagami's broke. She can't afford to hire help. She's on her own."

"Well then," Kyouya breathed, switching off his device before standing up. "With no apprentice, it might be a little easier. Where did Tamaki go?"

"He went outside with Huni to take Hiroshi for a walk."

Kyouya said no more as he walked away, a gave a nod of farewell towards Haruhi, without checking to see if she was even looking. And she wasn't. Her head was resting on Hikaru's shoulders and her eyes were closed.

Hikaru listened to her sigh and brought his arms around her completely. They leaned into each other for support.

He bent down and kissed her forehead. "What'd you want to do?"

"I don't care what we do," she exhaled, nuzzling into his warmth and comfort. "I want to relax, but I know that that's going to be easier said than done."

He nodded. "Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere, as long as we go together this time."

"Of course. I said I'd never let you out of my sight again. And I meant that."

"It's a shame we're going to just leave the house, and after you made the nursery so cute."

"We'll buy a vacation home down in Bail," he said. "And we'll live there until I know it's safe, and we can move back. We won't sell the house."

"All the way to Bail?"

"I like it there," he mentioned, rubbing his nose in her hair. "It's always warm there. We could find a place near the area we spent our honeymoon. Hiroshi would like it."

"You always said you wanted to buy a vacation home in Italy."

"Yeah, but Bali's special."

"Fine with me," she smiled and shifted in his arms. "I don't care where we live. Just that we're all together and happy."

He tilted her chin with his thumb. "You're perfect, you know that?"

Her mouth curved into a smile between their lips as he kissed her.

Finally, after so long, she needn't worry about anything anymore. She had everything she wanted right there, and she didn't plan on losing it ever again.

Though it wasn't the same for some others.

On the other side of the hospital, Kaoru was waiting for news about his own wife. It was earlier that morning that the doctors took her in for internal surgery. He needed to know what happened, yet didn't. Sometimes no news at all was good news, but today it may decide whether he'll be able to go home with both his girls instead of just one of them.

Ever since he was told to leave the room, he had walked idly around the halls, hands in his pockets, not knowing what he was going to do. Preparing himself for the worse of outcomes.

It wasn't until a nurse walked up to him, telling him what happened the night before that he actually knew where he should be.

The next thing he knew he was trapped in a small room full of sleeping babies, being led into an even smaller room, dubbed the NICU. She walked him up to a small cot where a baby girl slept, wrapped in a pink blanket, with the name 'Hitachiin' written on the board beside her.

His finger moved, just slightly where he could touch her soft cheek, her sleeping form twitched, and her nose curled. His hand stoked her short dark locks, being sure to avoid her breathing tubes.

Kaoru stared at his currently nameless daughter. One would have thought the only thing you'd feel was pure, absolute joy when looking at your first baby, but there was a painful twinge. One that was from subdued anger and disappointment.

He watched her chest rise and fall.

"I'm sorry," he spoke softly through clenched lips. "you weren't supposed to come yet. That must've been scary."

Her tiny face scrunched, but she was fast asleep.

"Don't worry," he gave her a half smile, "mommy's going to be okay, and we'll go home together, and everything I'll be okay."

 _For god's sake, I hope so._

* * *

"Well crap."

"Something wrong?"

Kagami blew a bright pink bubble out of her gum, and stuck it into her cheek as it deflated as she watched what was on television.

"That damn family," she cursed, tossing the remote on the bed, "They have her back, just leave me alone."

The man, still wearing his officer uniform, scoffed. "I don't think they'll do that."

She turned her glare to him. "There's just no peace. They've got the whole country looking for my face."

"Need I remind you what you did?"

"You were just as involved, but I don't see people looking for you."

He shrugged. "When you're part of the enforcement team that helped search for Haruhi, you're not going to be seen as a wanted criminal. I've done better at hiding myself than you did. You stole his car, and his credit card and told him everything."

"They're not satisfied," she continued to argue. "They have Katsu, Keiichi, and Hibiki, but they've got my picture all over the news. Being a cop can't you do something to help?"

He smirked, taking a sip of his late afternoon coffee. "What'd you think I've been doing, doll?"

She returned his smirk, and let her hair free from her wet towel before tossing herself on the bed, staring that the pictures on the wall, courtesy of the hotel. She wasn't satisfied, she lost everything she worked for, and was now wanted and had a very slim chance of getting far from them.

"I don't think, even if Haruhi stayed gone for years longer, that Hikaru would have loved me." She admitted. "I might have... become just his play thing."

He tipped his shoulders, kicking his feet up on the table. "Maybe not, but at least you have me." He winked.

Kagami sighed.

"You spent too much time and stress on him, you tried to hard to hide someone who, deep down, you knew was going to be found eventually," he said, looking out the blind covered window. "But was it worth it? Getting to spend that time with him that you did?"

She hesitated. Remembering that time that she had with Hikaru. For the two years she had him to herself he was bitter and mean, depressed and wouldn't play into her game. Out it all, all she got out of him that was in any form "affectionate" was a brief kiss while he was intoxicated.

"...No," she answered bitterly. "No it wasn't."


	34. Chapter 34

**Out Of Reach**

* * *

Kagami turned her head away as a man walked passed her. She hid her cheek behind her scarf and adjusted her sunglasses, then, as he passed her, she threw down the food menu she held and groaned.

"How much more of this?"

The man sitting across from her, lowered his menu, that he was hardly paying attention to in the first place, and shrugged. "Don't worry, babe. I'm handling it."

Kagami ignored the nickname and looked into her half empty cup of coffee. She was quiet for awhile. She didn't like leaving their hotel, in fear someone might recognize her, so this was once in awhile occasion where she actually went out around people. She was so anxious, she was about to call it quits and coward back into hiding.

Finally, she looked up at him again. "We should leave."

"It's fine. We're so far from Bunkyo that if you don't draw attention to yourself, they won't know who you are."

"No. I meant we should leave. Leave Tokyo. Go somewhere else."

"Well Adachi isn't an option, Yosano is out of the question. Anywhere in Kyoto is a big _no_. Where do you suggest, pumpkin?"

She looked back down at her coffee. "I mean leave Japan. Everyone knows who we are. Let's go to America. We have passports. We could go to Mexico."

He clinked his tongue, taking the last big gulp of his coffee, then, wiped his mouth with his sleeve before he answered her. "No can do. And correction, everyone knows who you are, not me. With your face all over the media, there's no way we'd be able to get passed airline security without being found out."

"As much as I'd love to flee to Mexico with you," he winked.

Kagami sighed. "Fine. I'll cut my _hair_ , and change my _name_. For Kami's sake, what else is there then?"

Luckily, they were sitting towards the back of the café, where hardly anybody was at. They kept their voices low so that no one could hear.

"By some standards, you're a fugitive. And the law tried to make it as difficult as possible for them to find peace until they're arrested." He laid his cheek on his hand. "And I'm trying to prevent you from getting arrested, so our best bet is to stay here, but hidden."

"And..." he made a face. "We'd better stay away from the court house, so... you can't _legally_ change your name."

She let out another groan. "...I'd never thought I'd have to deal with this. It wasn't supposed to happen this way."

He chuckled, picking up the menu again. "And I'd never thought that I'd put my career on the line to harbor a wanted fugitive. It definitely wasn't supposed to happen this way."

"But I do it for you, bugaboo," he added as he noticed her strange look.

Fixing her scarf, Kagami laid her chin on her arm. Even thinking about the way Hikaru's looked made her angry, thinking about Kyouya Ootori, the brains behind the whole thing, made her want to rip the menu to shreds, but, Haruhi... That woman made her want to scream. The thought of living in the same country as her made her want to puke. She was disgusting.

She had, Hikaru, and the last she had seen them together, the vile woman didn't even look like she was back to be home.

Her brothers and best friend were in prison, and she was a wanted criminal in hiding, while Haruhi was back to living in the lap of luxury with a man she didn't appreciate.

It made her sick.

Her companion looked up at her, chewing on his cheek, interrupting her thoughts. "Are you feeling the Yakuniko Beef, or more so of the Salmon teriyaki?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not hungry."

"Salmon teriyaki then."

"Are you going to help in figuring out our next plans? Let's not spend all the money we have here on expensive food."

"It's salmon teriyaki. It's hardly expensive."

Kagami didn't say anymore.

* * *

It had been three days. There was still no sign of where Kagami was hiding, and even less news of how Mokoto was recovering. The doctors wouldn't tell them bad knews, nor would they say anything good. It was things like:

Her condition is stably critical.

We can't be sure of how smooth her recovery will be.

She isn't waking up because of the blood loss, and the high medication dosage.

When all he really wanted to hear was: She's going to be okay.

He never got an answer like that, and from the lack of actual news was starting to scare him. How long would this go on? How long will it be before they could all be happy again?

It seemed ages since any of them were truly happy.

Kaoru was leaning against the wall, as he thought about the last time they were all happy enough to admit it. Which would have to be before Haruhi was taken away from them.

It wasn't fair. How much did they want to throw at them before they'd decide it was enough?

He laid his temple to the cold plaster, just watching his daughter sleeping, watching her button nose twitch as she dreamed of whatever babies dream about durning their naps. Her breathing tubes were the only thing keeping him from taking her off her cot and bringing her into a bone-crushing hug.

It hurt, that the two most important people in his life now, were so close, yet so far away. He was close to losing them both, now only faced with the dread of losing only one of them, but having to care for the other all by himself.

He had almost eight months to prepare for the baby, but knowing that he might have to take on so much of the responsibility all by himself scared him so much, he wanted to find a hole he could hide inside of and never come out.

Before he could think anymore about it, and ultimately drive himself insane, something tapped his shoulder, being the gesture that snapped him out of his daze.

A nurse stood behind him, she looked annoyed.

"Excuse me," she muttered, as if she had tried to get his attention more than once. She glanced down at the baby. "We aren't supposed to let visitors in without an ID band."

Kaoru looked down at his wrist where his band was supposed to be, but it wasn't there.

"Uh..." he bit his lip. "It must've fallen off." He said, looking for it.

She looked around at the babies peacefully sleeping in their cots, then down at the baby closest to them. "This room is highly monitored as of late. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Fortunately, from the corner of his eye, he saw his band on the floor, and out of awkwardness, he practically shoved it into the nurse's face, just to pointedly prove that he wasn't doing anything wrong.

She looked down at it. It had snapped from the notches and had apparently fallen off, like he said. She looked around to find a board that matched his band's number. it wasn't until she noticed that his name matched the one on the baby's board that was right beside them.

She forced down a gasp. "Oh-.. _oh_ , I-I'm sorry, Mr. Hitachiin. I... Didn't realize-"

"It's fine..." Kaoru looked back down at his daughter. "I'm not about to complain about the security."

The nurse scratched at the floor with her foot in embarrassment. "Um, you know... she uh... she still doesn't have a name."

He looked at the baby, then towards her name that was written on the board. Just 'Hitachiin' was scribbled up there. Almost five days old and she didn't have a name. It made him want to just say something off the top of his head, but even then he came up short. He couldn't even remember any of the names, Mokoto mentioned while she was pregnant, let alone names they actually agreed on.

"We didn't really think she'd come this soon, so we weren't really sure what we were going to call her," he admitted, quietly. "Her mom will give her a name... when she wakes up."

They were silent for a moment. The nurse took that time to check the monitor near the baby's head, but the motion around her made the baby stir, and immediately she started to whimper after being disturbed from her nap.

The nurse cringed, hearing another baby start to cry from the other side of the room. "Do you want to hold her?"

Kaoru sighed. _You ask me that after you make her cry?_ He didn't have to answer though, because the nurse was already adjusting her blanket for her to be picked up, and held her out to him before Kaoru could even stand up properly. Even after all this time, he was scared to touch her so he hadn't held her yet, so he panicked when the nurse stepped closer to him.

"She won't bite." The nurse said, in response to his look he gave her.

Timidly, Kaoru held his hands out. He would have preferred just looking at her while she slept, instead of having to hold her while she cried, while he didn't necessarily know how to hold her. He hadn't been around enough babies to actually know how to hold a newborn.

He was trembling as she was laid in his arms, her tiny head resting on the crook of his elbow. He wanted to bring her even closer, but tried not to, as her IVs were in the way. She was so tiny, and practically weightless. He wouldn't even known she was there if she wasn't crying.

Her hands were shaking as they escaped the blanket, and she stirred, as if searching for something to hold, and miraculously, she instantly silenced herself after he gave her his finger to wrap her own around.

Kaoru felt himself smiling, just as he wiped her tears from her cheek. Her black, beady eyes stared up at him, clueless. She didn't understand the strange, happy look he was giving her.

And to Kaoru, it was the same look Mokoto would give him when he'd say something stupid.

He may be looking at their baby. With her tiny, pink blotchy features. But all he really saw was, Mokoto.

He wasn't looking for any part of her that looked like him. It was _all_ , Mokoto.

The baby opened her eyes wider and made sure she was holding his finger with her entire palm. Her tiny pinky finger wrapped around his wedding ring.

"She's hungry," the nurse piped up. But she could tell that Kaoru was in the middle of his whole little world, and had forgotten that she was there.

She put down the bottle of formula near the cot and decided to leave them alone.

* * *

 _There was a peaceful atmosphere. Whiteness shrouded around him, and the person in front of him. There was a soft hum, one the was made from music in the background, but there was no sign of it coming from anywhere. It was just, everywhere._

 _In front of him was hair, long, brown, silky hair, and it ran around and between his fingers. 'It smells like strawberries' he could hear himself say, but there was no voice._

 _The music turned sad and slow as his fingers ran through the hair another time. Then, a brush found itself in his hand, and he_ _guided it where his fingers had been, letting their hair fall against their back._

 _A soft hand pulled it all back, before turning towards him, and a set of chocolate eyes met his own. Pale lips smiled at him, and the music came to a halt._

 _He felt happy._

 _Until Darkness took that all away; leaving him alone._

 _The tender music was replaced with water thrashing against glass, it was violent, as if pushing it to the verge of it shattering. He was standing in front of the window, watching the rain. Out of nowhere, there was flash of bright light, it nearly blinded him, but he made no attempt to shield his eyes._

 _Thunder soon tore through his ear drums, and for a moment, he thought he saw headlights out in the rain. They were small, and faint, but they were moving closer to him. He reached his hand out, laying his palm against the window, ready to touch them, wanting to pull them closer to see what they really were._

 _But they flickered out. Lightning struck again, and they came back, this time bigger. There was a foggy outline of a car, and he could see his smile reflected back at him from the glass. Whoever it was, they were coming closer, and whoever they were, it made him happy._

 _Then, there was thunder again, and the lights were gone. The darkness from outside leaked from between the window frame, and began forming into globs. It hissed and scratched at the window like thousands of tiny spiders. He tried to pull away, but his hand was glued to the window._

 _There was a sound of a anxious heart beat, and it grew louder as the darkness began to crawl up his arm. It was pulling him towards the window, and no matter how hard he tried, it would let go. The heart beat grew so loud it was booming. He was panicking, trying to get away._

 _Then, the darkness consumed him. He couldn't open his mouth to scream._

 _He fell._

 _And he kept falling, into the sheer shadows behind the window. He felt things brush against his face, as if the shadows had hands and were touching him._

 _The headlights returned, but there was only one. It was coming closer the further he fell, and it was so close, that if he closed his hand, it would be apart of him. But before he could do that, the light disappeared into a ball of dust and he began to fall faster._

 _There was a jolt, and he was stuck into a white abyss. Wind blew at his hair, and he landed on his feet. The crawling darkness spread around his feet and exploded in all directions, yet there was nothing to look at._

 _Scared, he turned to look over his shoulder. Whispers crept up behind him. They were frightening, making no incoherent words, just hushed screams. He covered his ears, but they didn't stop._

 _Behind him were people, but he still felt alone and scared. He reached out, to one who looked like his brother, but his hand went right through him. Their bodies were only made up of fog. He turned around, trying to run away from them, but he tripped over something hard, and he stumbled. It was a grave stone at his feet._

 _He fell to his knees, his hands falling into the fog. He looked up, staring at the words on the grave. They were haunting. They were words he tried to push away, and ignore._

 _They were beautiful words he never wanted to see on stone._

'Haruhi Hitachiin'

 _He opened his mouth to scream, but something came out._

 _And suddenly, the headstone came up from the ground. It flew at him, knocking him in the chest. He thought he'd fall to the ground._

 _But he fell through that, and the darkness climbed over him, holding him so he couldn't escape. He reached out, hoping someone out there might grab his hand and save him, but no one came. Everyone was gone._

 _The darkness covered his eyes and he was blind, and he was being drug somewhere else._

 _He opened his eyes with a breathless gasp. He was relieved with the sudden stop in time. He turned his head and he was laying down. It was red beneath him, but a comforting shade, being one of a couch. And instead of the headstone, a pillow laid on his chest._

 _Nothing, however, kept him from looking to his hand. A wine bottle rested, trapped under his fingers. It was empty, and when he dropped it, the sound of glass shattering made him cringe._

 _Then, the couch disappeared, and he fell to the floor._

 _Glass crunched under his back. There was no pain, but it made him want to get up. More crunching was heard as he laid his hand down. He sat up to examine his palm, ready to see glass in his skin, but there was nothing. Just Blood._

 _There was blood, so much of it, and it was everywhere._

 _This time, when he opened his mouth, he did scream, and it was a cry for help. Something dripped from his face, and onto his pants. He was afraid to touch anything, but he knew he was crying._

 _A soft 'ting' sound caught his attention. It sounded as if someone tried ringing a bell, but there was only one. When he looked, there was no bell, or anything that would have made a sound at all, but amongst the open nothingness, there was the light again. It was tiny, barely even noticeable, but it was there._

 _He was to his feet before he could hear his heart beat thump, and he was running towards it. The light grew bigger, than smaller. It came towards him, then ran away again. Colors started to form around him the further he went, as a motivation to keep going._

 _He stopped when the light stopped, and it was pulsing. It was shining brighter then longer he looked at it, and he took a step to try and grab it, but it floated out of his reach. It floated until he stopped again, and another pair of hands reached for it, and without even being asked it, it floated closer to them, rather to him, even if he was chasing after it all this time._

 _The light got brighter, and brighter, and he finally shielded his face. The person in front of him held the light, not affected to it. In fact, it made that shadow of a person grow more into an actual someone. Someone soft. Their hands were soft, as the light melted into them, and when the light was completely gone, he dropped his hand from his face._

 _And Haruhi stood there, glowing like the light that had made her. Maybe she was the light all along._

 _He took a slow step, afraid she might float away, but she didn't go anywhere. He took another step, then another one. When she smiled, and reached her hand out to him, he started_ _bolting. He ran until he got to him, and there, his arms engulf her. He brought her so close, she nearly became his outer skin._

 _He stuffed his face into her brown hair, and he was reminded of strawberries. The happiness he felt before came back, and he hugged her tighter, with everything he had left. He didn't even notice that she wasn't hugging him back._

 _"Hikaru," someone said his name, but it didn't sound like her. He looked down, concerned, and instead of Haruhi, his sweet, beautiful, Haruhi, it was Kagami._

 _His mouth opened, and she laughed. He almost dropped her when she blew him a kiss._

 _"Hikaru!"_

 _Darkness came over him again._

He could feel everything out of nowhere. He could feel his hands shaking. He felt his lungs ache from his vicious breathing and his heart beat was in his ears, and hands were on his arms. He felt himself falling again and he woke up with a violent jolt, one that nearly sent him off the bed.

At least he thought he was, but he was far from it. It was in the middle, covered in sweat, and in someone arms.

Hikaru let out a raw gasp, ignoring the voice that was trying to talk to him. He searched for something to grab, and this time it wasn't hard. His fingers instantly found the blankets, and held it for dear life.

"Hikaru," Haruhi reached out to him, but her hand was smacked away. She tried getting to him, but he was obviously trying to get away from her.

"Hikaru wait," her strength was nowhere near as desperate as her voice, as she pulled at his sleeve. "Hikaru stop, you're okay."

He didn't want to fall again. He was scared to. He didn't want to anymore, but when his arm was grabbed, and he was brought down on his back, he knew he wasn't done with it yet. He was ready to scream again, when his back hit the mattress, and someone climbed on top of him.

"Shhh," a hand touched his face, and it's warmth was comforting. "Hikaru, you're okay. Calm down."

He looked up, and her face was outlined by the soft light of the side lamp. His heart started to pound again, as he saw everything else was drowned in darkness.

"Haruhi," he choked, and his voice cracked. He didn't even know he could talk.

"I'm right here," her hand traced along her cheek. "I'm right here, you're okay... You're _okay_."

She grabbed his hand, and laid it against her own cheek. "You're okay, Hikaru."

He felt her soft skin, and now he knew it was soft, and didn't just think it was. Her hair was lightened, and not just brown, but at that moment, as reality was slowly bringing him back, he thought it was even more beautiful than the fake hair he was attached to moments ago.

"It was a dream, Hika," she said, smoothing his sweaty forehead. "It was just a dream."

Hikaru took a moment to calm his heart, and match his breathing with hers. He looked around and the darkness wasn't so steep. They were in their bedroom, and the only sound that was being made was from him.

He looked back at her and took her face in both his hands, as if to make sure. Haruhi's eyes were on the door, looking at it anxiously. She opened her mouth, but before words could even come out, Hikaru grabbed her, and forced her down on top of him.

"Haruhi," he said again, holding her tighter than he had in his dream, to make sure he wouldn't flip between universes. His hand was in her hair, smoothing it straight across her back. His embrace turned to bone-crushing, and she had to push her hands against his chest just to breathe.

"Hikaru," she hissed, "You're fine. I need to make sure you didn't wake up, Hiroshi-"

"No," his voice came out as a dry sob. "No. Don't leave."

 _For the love of god, don't leave me._

Her arms gave out and she fell against him, again.

She had left the door open, and she didn't hear the baby crying, so she laid back down against the man who sounded as if he was about to, and stayed still so he wouldn't.

"It was just a dream," she repeated.

"No," he held her tighter, where he could ley his nose against her hair. "No, it wasn't."

She didn't smell like strawberries. She smelt like home, but if anything, she smelt real, and at that very moment it was better than anything he could ask for.

"Don't go," he muttered.

"Okay," Haruhi breathed, believing that even if his nightmare woke him up, his body was still half asleep.

"Don't leave," his voice was now just a distant whisper, and she barely heard him.

He turned over, trapping her beneath his arms and leg, the moment she tried to wiggled away from him.

"Hika-"

"Hmm."

"Hey, don't go to sleep! You woke me up, so if you don't want me to leave you, you're going to have to come with me to the kitchen. Cause I'm hungry now."

With all worries gone, he smiled into her hair. Hiss arms loosened, but she made no attempt to move away from him. Exhaustion was taking over him in a second, and he found himself slipping into unconsciousness. Hopefully, it'd be a peaceful sleep.

"Hey," Haruhi turned around in his arms. "You didn't tell me what you were dreaming about."

He opened his eyes just barely, and she puckered her lips in concern and if he wasn't so tired, he would have laughed and use the rest of his energy to kiss her.

"I can't remember." He answered. It was silly anyway.

He closed his eyes for the last time, and sunk into the bed, taking her with him, and holding her so she couldn't leave. The idea was silly, but it was still scary.

Before sleep would completely devour him, something soft pressed against his mouth, and left a sweet sensation on his lips. When it left, his only response was a soft breath. His chest released all the tensed air he was holding, and he looked more comfortable.

Haruhi pulled away to look at his sleeping face. She kissed his forehead and sat up to leave the bed, but she didn't get far.

She squealed as his arms came around her again and brought her back down.


	35. Chapter 35

**Always**

* * *

"Anything yet?"

"You know that if there were, I would have told you."

"It's been 3 weeks. No doubt she left town, but she couldn't have left the country. Her face is on billboards, and every milk carton in stores. The men who were called off from looking for Haruhi are searching for her. I want to know why we haven't found her yet."

Kyouya took a moment to breathe before reaching down for the containments from his bag. "Not that I came to talk about Kagami. People are handling it. What I really came here to tell you, was that..." he pulled out an orange file. "We lost our best source of information last night."

Hikaru's face loosened from it's glare, and he turned away from his neglected cup of cold coffee. "Source of information?"

"Hibiki confessed to everything he did, and he was sentenced without trial. Apparently he's had connections within prison walls and got ahold of a weapon." Kyouya opened the file and slid it across the table. "He didn't share a cell, so everyone is suggesting he committed suicide. Officials found him dead this morning."

Hikaru's face barely faltered as he looked down at the particularly "graphic" images on the papers, stuck between the separators of the file. He grimaced, as his finger briefly flipped through the pages.

"Coward." He hissed, before he discarded it to his side, like garbage.

Haruhi sat beside him, silent, with Hiroshi asleep in her arms. Her fingers slowly pulled out the picture on front to see it closely. Staring at his face again left a bad taste in her mouth. Her palm felt hot a she held the picture up, staring at his unconscious body, almost ashamed that she left nothing for him. Not even a shred of sympathy.

Her memories of him were too bitter for her to be sad.

Her hand smoothed Hirohi's tousled hair as Hikaru and Kyouya talked. Not noticing how tight she was holding the paper.

* * *

It was past midnight. The small, unfamiliar house was quiet, and as the porch light had burned out, it was pitch black, besides the fabulously bright light that cascaded from the half moon the shown between the clouds.

Hiroshi, only two months old, was sound asleep, strapped into his tiny car seat. Keiichi was nowhere to be seen, which told her he was either stuck in a drunken sleep, or hadn't finished his discussion with Hibiki down in the basement.

She could hear her heart beat hammering in her ears as she fumbled with a cellphone she snatched from the kitchen counter. Her fingers trembled so violently she could barely press the right buttons on the keypad. This was the closest she had gotten to escaping. Now she was almost gone. She could leave this place, and these people. She could home.

Haruhi glanced over her shoulder to see if the baby was still asleep.

They could go home.

She could take him away from this horrible life. The one he's only ever knew.

He could see the father she'd always told him about. The one he's never seen before, and the one who didn't even knew he existed.

After she punched in the only phone number she could actually remember, frightened tears started to build under her lashes as the phone started to ring. It was so painfully slow, her anxiety almost blinded her.

It rang a second time.

Then a third.

A forth.

Fifth.

Then one last time before...

 _'We're sorry; the person you are trying to reach is currently unavailable. If you feel you have reached this recording in error, please check the number and try your call again'._

"W-wha..."

 _'If you'd like to leave a message, press '1''._

She panicked to press her finger against the numbered button, but it slipped from her hand as she tried to operate it with just her thumb, and it hit the floor beside the gas pedal. She unbuckled her seatbelt to retrieve it when a hand slammed against the window.

Knowing she couldn't do anything else, with the door lock broken in the truck, she grabbed the keys off the dash and awkwardly tried to shove it into the ignition, but she was practically blind in the dark, that she didn't get to it in time before the door was thrown open.

"A+ for trying, sweetheart," a cold voice mocked. "Learn to be a little faster next time. Ya almost got away."

She gasped as his strong hand latched onto her when she tried to move away. "Hibiki-"

"What'd I say before?" he growled. No matter how dark it was that night, she could still see how furious his eyes looked. "You know who's head gets it if you get away? How far did you think you were gonna get?"

Haruhi tried to pry his hand away, but her efforts only made him smirk. It was an evil smirk, one that was amused by her fear and pain. She shrieked as he ripped her from the car and jerked her back. She scraped her hands as she fell on the tough gravel.

When she tried to stand, his other hand gripped at her other arm and roughly pulled her to her feet. She was sure his fingers would leave a bruise.

"Go ahead," he hissed, "If you don't want to stay here, _run._ I'll give you a head start.."

She swallowed, loosing all the fight she had in her as she looked at the backseat of the truck through her hair. She wanted to run. She wouldn't get far, but trying was all she could do now.

Though once he released her, and shoved her towards the sidewalk, she didn't move a muscle. She turned around, and continued to look at the truck, where she heard her baby start to cry.

He tsked. "That's what I thought."

* * *

"...Haruhi?"

She had been staring at his picture for longer than she thought. She only escaped her daze when a tender hand touched her shoulder, and brushed a piece of her hair behind her ear.

She turned and met soft, pools of auburn staring back at her. Haruhi was confused at the concerned look her husband was giving her was giving her.

"Haru, are you okay"

She cleared her throat and looked away, back towards the picture that was the new look to the face that continued to hunt her.

"I'm going to put him to bed." Haruhi muttered, scooting back her chair before she turned her back to them and left the room.

Hikaru was about to stand up and follow her, but glanced down at the table and saw the crumbled up photo of Hibiki.

He looked back up towards Kyouya, shoving all the papers back into their file, and tossing it back to him.

"What about Keiichi?" he asked.

Kyouya fixed his glasses. "He's not saying anything. And Katsu's still in questioning, but no one knows where Kagami is."

"Then what are we supposed to do now?"

"Times ran out. They'll be released on house arrest until their trial. We'll see from there."

* * *

The concept of time barely existed for those in the hospital. Some weren't conscious enough to have to bother knowing the time, while others had just been there for so long, it no longer occurred to them to know how many days had gone by since they had been emitted.

In a particularly quiet room, hundreds of colors bounced off the bleakly painted walls. Bougets of flowers were practically piled on top one another, get-well cards were falling off the window sill and the tables, getting lost under the bed.

Kaoru shifted a leg, as he had been sitting in the same position for too long, and let his fingers mindlessly flip through the loose pages of his magazine. His mind was in many places elsewhere when a strange sound started coming from on of the machines.

He looked up towards the heart monitor, hearing it suddenly skyrocket from it's smooth, constant rhythm, to almost screaming. The line on the screen jumped in random bursts, as if trying to alert a problem.

The magazine collapsed through his hands at his feet, and in a panic, he scrambled out of his chair.

He watched a crease build up across her brow, and felt her tense under his touch. Her fingers dug into the blankets, at the feel of his cold skin, and he fell against the edge of the bed, feeling his own heart nearly jump out of his chest.

"...Mokoto?"

Her eyes slid open, hearing her own name.

The room was in a blur, and her eyes felt like bricks. She had stayed so long in a state of dreams and visions for so long, she didn't know how long she had been away from reality, but as she tried to move anything but her hands, she guessed it was far too long. The numbness of her entire body was exhausting, and her eyes started to fall again.

She felt a tender thumb brush against her forehead, and a set of trembling nerves grasp her hand away from the covers. She still was trying to wrap her head around the idea of being awake, and where she was. Asleep she was near the ocean, but now slipping between two different worlds, she had no idea why she was staring into a white ceiling. And where there was supposed to be the smell of wet sand and tropical plants, there was... _nothing_.

 _Am I dead?_

Was what she thought, until, a face became clear, through the haze of the vision. A hand was holding hers, tight, afraid of letting go, in fear that she might let herself go.

He looked like an angel. - Just like in her dreams. Ones that now, she could barely remember.

"Kaoru..."

She mouthed his name, but as she could barely hear herself, she was afraid he didn't hear. Until his face it up with a broken smile.

She was so confused to see tears in his eyes, before it dawned on her. Before she remembered a nightmare so long ago, and realized it was part of reality, and why she was in such a strange place that looked so frighteningly like a hospital room.

He hid his face behind her hand, holding it tighter, waiting for her to slowly wake herself up.

His throat felt so tight, trying to hide his swarming emotions. "...You're _okay_ ,"he managed.

The bed dipped to the side as he released her hand and crawled up to be closer to her. She whimpered, feeling the slightest bit of pain in her side, but she tried to ignore it as she felt him settle beside her. Mokoto had to blink a few times to distinguish how close he actually was and that she was now staring into his eyes as he hovered above her.

His hand cupped her cheek and kissed between her eyes, so overwhelmed he didn't know what to do with this new found happiness.

She's awake.

She's... okay.

He kissed until he reached the top of her nose, only stopping when she started to fidget.

"Kao-"

He pulled away, having to bite the inside of his lip to stop his jaw from trembling. " _Oh, Mokoto_."

"I... I can't feel anything." She whispered.

His face fell, caressing away the concerned lines above her brow. "It might be from the anesthesia."

"What happened...?"

"I don't want to talk about it." He saw the grimace of fear on her face and softened his tone. "B-but everything okay. I promise. You're safe now."

Her hand tightened around the sleeve of his shirt and he again tried to kiss away the pain in her expression. "They said you weren't getting better. They were afraid there was more complications after the surgery. I was scared..." he cupped his hands softly over her cheeks, kissing her forehead one more time. "I missed you so much."

Everything was slowly coming back. The feel of that cold half-empty bed of that safe house, large, intimidating police officers, men's who's only intention was to hurt them, and gun shots.

So. Many. Gun shots.

And that very last thing she remembered asking, terrified, and not for her own life, but for one that was too tiny and frail. Someone who she was supposed to protect, and somehow let slip through her fingers.

"Kaoru... what about the baby?"

He stopped, and slowly raised his lips away from her. For a moment he was confused. _What baby?_ After she had woken up, the world revolved only around her, and he forgot that anyone else existed.

Mokoto shifted beneath him, started to feel ill from his terrifying silence.

He stared at the big version of the tiny blue eyes he had been so fascinated with and gasped.

"Y-yeah! I-it's fine -the baby-... She's okay." He shut his mouth to stop his stuttering and grasped her hand again. "Everyone's okay, Mo. I've just been waiting for you."

Mokoto relaxed against the pillows, feeling so weak she could barely form a smile. "It's a girl?"

He nodded.

"...How long has it been?"

"Forever." He groaned. "It's been 3 weeks, Mokoto... It's been _so_ _long_."

"I'm sorry," her voice was slowly leaving her, as sleep started to take over. "About everything. I shouldn't have made Keiich-

"Don't say his name. None of that matters anymore," he said, running his finger across her pale lip. "I don't want to think about anymore. It's over. All I care about is you, and taking our baby home. Together. I just want us to go home."

"...What did you name her?"

"I didn't."

She hummed. "I want her..."

He scoffed, smoothing out her hair that was thrown over her shoulder. "She's right there."

Mokoto turned her head as much as she could to the side where his eyes guided her to. In the entire room, he was the only thing she bothered to see. It didn't even occur to her to look the other way. Which was where a small, padded white cot was pressed flush against the bed.

Too weak to be able to look over the edge, all she saw was a tiny lump under a soft pink blanket.

She turned back to her husband, who was still gazing at the baby while she slept, only meeting her site again as she raised her free hand to touch his face. His eyes widened at her gaze, and immediately folded his hand over hers.

He only hesitated for an invitation, but she was silent, and only tried to pull him down. Even while her strength was laughable, he fully obliged, and leaned over, just far enough so he could kiss her lips.

How he wanted so much to pull her closer. All these blasted wires and machines seemed like such an obstacle. She was just a sheet of paper away, and yet he could barely touch her. Her long sleep had made her seem so small and fragile he was afraid that if he could hold her, she'd fall apart.

After a few moments, he noticed he was the only reason her hand was still against his cheek, and as he opened his eyes and reluctantly pulled himself away from her, he realized she had only felt so uninvolved with the kiss, because she had fallen asleep.

Something had woken her up before, and her body wasn't yet ready to face what reality had planned for her. He meant to tell her, to tell her the real reason why she could barely move, but seeing her finally open her eyes to him, he didn't have the heart to upset her.

Kaoru pushed back her bangs away from her lashes one last time before getting off the bed.

Everything was going to be fine now, he told himself.

Nothing like this would ever happen them again.

Everything's fine.

* * *

 _Breathe_

 _Just Breathe_

She'd no longer have to feel as if her horrible dreams of him would come true. Hibiki was gone. Keiichi and Katsu were a hair away from his sentence, and Kagami was far, far away. If private investigators couldn't find her, Kagami couldn't find them.

So why was her heart beating so fast? Why did it hurt to breathe?

After laying Hiroshi in his crib, Haruhi tried to go to her own room, but her head started twisting her surroundings, shrouding everything in a misty haze. The floor itself shifted beneath her and she ultimately gave in, just dropping to the floor in a awkward heap.

Her chest was sore but her heart's vicious cycle, pounding so hard as if it were trying to tear through.

After so many days, she thought she had gotten over it. Was their damage permanent? Was this who she was now? She felt so hopeless. Weak. It was sickening.

She laid her head on her knees, waiting for the world to stop spinning, and tried to remember where she was. Who she was with, and who wouldn't hurt her anymore.

 _Just stop._

 _"Why were you trying to leave?" his cold, rough lips kissed her wrist, as he pinned her hand against the wall above her head. "What do you think is out there for you?"_

 _She flinched, turning her face away as he kissed down her arm, breathing feverishly against her shoulder. "Keiichi-"_

 _"You have to go away soon," he muttered against her neck. "I won't be able to touch you anymore."_

 _His other hand pushed her against the wall, immobilizing her body, making her quake as he caressed his hand against her bare waist. "You have to understand, Haruhi. He doesn't have you anymore. You're nothing. You belong to us."_

 _His finger hooked under her chin, and before she could even open her eyes, his lips found hers, stealing her last breath, and nearly suffocating her. His hand slipped from her wrist and tangled through her hair, pulling her so close and so uncomfortably tight against him, she was loosing the feeling in her finger tips._

 _Every time they'd kiss her or touch where they shouldn't, she apologized. Even if Hikaru couldn't hear it, she hoped he'd forgive her._

"Haruhi?"

Her toes curled inside her shoes as she heard his voice. The one she wanted, more than anything, to get use to.

She heard his footsteps against the floor, but didn't move a muscle. Not until she felt his hand against her shoulder.

"Haru," he said softly. "Are you okay?"

She had been questioning her self worth for so long now, she was too ashamed of herself to look him in the eye.

How could a feeling like this...

How could such a hollow feeling even exist?

Only having a vague idea what could be the problem, Hikaru frowned, and quietly settled down beside her on the floor. He felt her back tensed as he wrapped his arm around her.

He waiting a moment, but she still didn't budge.

"...Please forget about them. I can't watch you struggle like this anymore, Haruhi. They're not worth it."

She raised her head, sinking into him arm. "I don't know how."

He found her hand gripping her shirt, and gently entwined his through her fingers, kissing her finger tips. "I couldn't protect you before. Let me help you now. I feel useless. Knowing that you don't feel any better here than you did there, with them."

She was hoping he didn't notice. Then maybe she hadn't hide it as well as she thought. Knowing her lack of contentment was hurting him made her fell worse.

"I tried to think it was okay. I thought I didn't care about it anymore. I thought I was getting better." She muttered, bitterly. "I was lying to myself to make me feel better, but I don't. Hika... I feel horrible."

He sighed, wrapping his other arm around her, to feel more secure as it felt as though the floor was caving beneath him from the weight on his heart. "You don't have to keep this to yourself. None of this is your fault, and you don't have to pretend it's okay. It's not, and I wish I could make this all go away. I wish I could do something more than just hold and you tell you it _is_. I'm honestly just so happy to be able _to_ hold you again that nothing else in the world matters to me. I blame myself for being so stupid, and I don't deserve you at all."

"You deserve better."

"Haruhi-"

"I'm practically dirt."

"I won't let you talk that way," he breathed against her hair. "I don't know all of what they did, but it doesn't change how I feel how you. No matter how they made you feel, you're still the most important person to me in the whole world. I want to do anything I can to make sure you're comfortable. I just want you to be happy again."

"I know... I'll try."

Hikaru shifted to look at her. He hooked his arm under her legs and guided them over his lap. "You know... They never really wanted you. They could have done so much worse to you." His thumb brushed her overgrown bangs behind her ear, holding the back of her hand against his cheek. "If something had gone wrong one day, I might not have ever seen you again."

She fidgeted awkwardly as he pulled her up to on top of him. "I thought that would happen _everyday_."

"But nothing happened," he snuggled against her neck. "And you were able to come back home. You lived with all those people for so long," he kissed her throat. "You had to take care of Hiroshi all by yourself, and when I found you in that house, you didn't look like you had let them get to you at all. You looked perfectly fine... I stopped looking for you because I had thought you ran away, but you were brave, and I'm so proud of you for not giving up like I did."

"I wouldn't call being submissive, being _brave_."

"You did what you had to for, Hiroshi."

She grumbled in defeat.

Hikaru pulled away, coping the pout look on her face until hers faltered into awkward smirk. He chuckled and grinned widely.

"Let's run away," he said, suggestively. "Right now. We have a timeshare in Bali. We won't tell anyone, we'll just leave, and we'll forget about everything."

"Hiroshi's too little. We can't travel that far with him yet."

"...Ah, right. Parental responsibilities. I forgot."

"Hika-"

"We'll get him a floaty. Or we could just go to that really strange Korean restaurant they just opened near your old firm."

"Hikaru."

He frowned. "What?"

She captured his face in her hands, holding him still. "Thank you... for making me feel better, but let's just... stay right here."

He made a face, and was about to comment on her lack of fun and adventure, and her commoner ways that only desired the simple things, shut his mouth tight before he did so. During the last year and a half, he had shut himself inside this great big house, all alone, while she was kidnapped, and transferred every few months to somewhere new, dealing with things he couldn't even begin to imagine.

He smiled, snaking a hand through her hair behind her head. "Okay."

He waited for her permission, but she didn't move, so he leaned up, feeling her hot breath against his upper lip before melting into her soft lips with a feather of a kiss.

But he was soon left empty as she pulled away immediately after Hiroshi could be heard, squealing from his crib.

Who knew, that he could feel so jealous of someone who couldn't even talk yet.

"Hika, he needs a diaper change."

"I did not volunteer to do that."

"I didn't volunteer to get pregnant, yet here we are."

"...Actually, if we're gonna get technical-"

Hikaru was hit in the head with a pacifier before he could continue.


End file.
